The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has received a commendation for its initiative to provide free application forms to candidates with disabilities aiming to take the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), provided they possess five O’level credits.
An estimated 4,000 persons with disabilities are expected to benefit from this program.
Recall that JAMB announced last year that it will waive the payment of fees for the UTME application documents for People With Disability(PWD) who possess O’Level credits in the 2024 UTME.
The Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Mr Abdullahi Usman, while commending the Board.as contained in JAMB’s Weekly Bulletin, described the gesture as a worthy initiative.
He added that the initiative, which was first announced during the First JEOG conference on Equal Opportunity of Access to Higher Education in Nigeria held recently in Abuja, was first of its kind in Nigeria
According to him, the gesture would bring succour to the underserved members of JONAPWD, adding that the development would be disseminated to all its members to take advantage of this golden opportunity as provided by JAMB
“This waiver is the first of its kind in this country and goes to show, in practical terms, that an organisation is actively advocating inclusivity in the Nigeria educational system. Consequently, I am calling on the Disabled Community in the country to avail themselves of this unique opportunity.
“We are actually expecting at least 4000 students to benefit from this facility this year alone with the number increasing in subsequent years,”he said.
Usman expressed appreciation to JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, for being an advocate of the Disabled Community and wished him success in his tenure of office.