The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has revealed that it spends over ₦200,000 on each deaf candidate registered for its Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
JAMB also said it mainstreams support for deaf candidates at general centres, requiring all instructions to be presented in writing and ensuring complete parity with other examinees.
“They are given badges and visual prompts. It’s expensive; over N200,000 is spent per candidate, but it is a cost worth bearing,” the board disclosed.
The Registrar of JAMB, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, said this on Tuesday when he accompanied the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, to monitor the ongoing UTME at the Centre for the Blind, located at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Abuja headquarters, and noted that “it is a cost worth bearing.”
According to him, beyond the examination, candidates who score more than five credits are refunded their registration fees upon arrival for the UTME, explaining that the gesture was “a moral responsibility to show they matter”.
Oloyede, who stressed the board’s commitment to equity, stated that inclusivity remains the hallmark of a just society.
“We believe those who are differently abled can perform wonders. That’s why we ensure they feel valued by the nation,” he said.
JAMB currently runs 11 disability-specialised centres in states including Lagos, Edo, Oyo, Kaduna, and the FCT.
The registrar said each centre is strategically located to bring examination access closer to candidates’ communities.
The inclusive policy, developed with support from education stakeholders like Emeritus Prof. Peter Okebukola, also guides tertiary institutions to admit and support students with special needs.
As a result, over 70 per cent of last year’s physically challenged UTME candidates secured admission into universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
Speaking after monitoring the exercise, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, commended JAMB for breaking barriers in Nigeria’s education landscape by providing full support for 501 physically challenged candidates writing the 2025 UTME across 11 specialized centres in the country.
Ahmad applauded JAMB for not only making the examination accessible but also for also covering all associated costs, including transportation, accommodation, and personal aides for the special-needs candidates.
“Without these provisions, many would never have had the chance to write this exam,” she said, emphasising the Board’s pivotal role in supporting the federal government’s inclusive education agenda.
The minister also affirmed that with JAMB leading the digital transformation of examinations and pioneering inclusive policies, similar standards will soon extend to NECO and WAEC, aligning Nigeria with global best practices.
On his part, the Centre Coordinator at NOUN, Prof. Sunday Ododo, also lauded JAMB’s leadership and consistency.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to serve. This is more than an examination; it’s a national commitment to human dignity,” he said.
