By Kenneth Nwachi
The Founder and General Overseer Omega Power Ministries (OPM) HRM Apostle Chibuzor Gift Chinyere has appeal to the Federal Government to scrap Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (Jamb) Examination, describing it as an unnecessary burdens to parents and students seeking admission into Nigerian universities.
King Chinyere stated this today, Sunday in his message during the church service at Omega Power Ministries international headquarters in port Harcourt.
He insisted that JAMB has lost its relevance since tertiary institutions still conduct their own entrance examinations for prospective students after they sit for the UTME.
Apostle Chibuzor Chinyere who is also the King of Ikwuorie Ancient Kingdom in Ohanku Ndoki Ukwa East Local Government Area of Abia State queries why JAMB should fix exams for students by 6:30am in the morning not minding the insecurity in the country.
" Sometimes I wonder why Jamb even put exams by 6:30am in the morning. Do you know that all my adopted children under OPM scholarships going for jamb, I have to give them extra money to pay for hotel"
He said that giving them extra money for a hotel is a double expense from the church because they cannot meet up early in the morning with this level of insecurity to write exams fixed by jamb at 6:30am, they have to stay in a hotel around the place till the next day.
King Chibuzor Chinyere also observed that Jamb is always posting them in a center very far away from their residence.
" Jamb is always posting them in a center very far away from where they live, what should have been done to reduce the risk from the students and burden from the parents is to post the students in a center close to where they live" he said.
He gave an instance of the 12 jamb candidates kidnapped in Otukpo Benue State on their way to sit for jamb extermination describing it as unfortunate and restate his call for crapping of jamb.
" I saw something on social media that 12 people that went to write Jamb in Benue State were kidnapped, it is really very unfortunate. I am calling on federal government to scrap jamb"
The Man of God Stated that countries with similar socio-economic challenges have taken more inclusive and student-friendly approaches. Several African and Asian nations have adopted a centralised, school-based continuous assessment model, where students are evaluated consistently over time, not by a single, high-stakes examination. This allows for a more holistic and equitable assessment of students’ abilities and reduces the pressure and barriers that standardised exams often impose.
" Because in OPM, we have students on our scholarships in USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Turkey, Benin Republic"
" If you want to get admission in the Universities outside Nigeria you don't need jamb, you apply to the university, they will send you unconditional letter of offer, when we pay the school fees, they will send conditional letter of offer which serves as your admission letter after your Waec results has been uploaded and verified. They won't say come and write Jamb"
He frowned at the rigorous processes students go through in a bid to secure admissions and most times end up being frustrated.
" In Nigeria, you will write Waec, after Waec, you will write Jamb, after writing jamb, you will write Post UME, after that you will wait for school cut off mark, after that you will wait for department cut off mark, if you didn't get the cut off mark you will wait till another year and plan to register for another jamb and start afresh which is very frustrating " he said.
He cautioned that if jamb is not scrapped the high rate of out of school children will redouble as jamb keep frustrating students from year to year with a dashed hope.
For the past 15 years Omega Power Ministries (OPM) has sponsored numerous under-privileged Nigerians on local and overseas scholarships through the tithes and offerings from the church.