The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has denied claims that it barred matriculated students from registering for or sitting for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) or Direct Entry (DE).
In a statement issued by its Public Communication Advisor, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, the Board described the claim as false, clarifying that candidates already enrolled in tertiary institutions are not prohibited from registering for UTME or DE.
According to him, what JAMB requires, as clearly stated in the 2026 UTME/DE advertisement, is the mandatory disclosure of any existing matriculation status at the point of registration.
Benjamin explained that the disclosure is strictly for record and regulatory purposes, as well as to prevent multiple admissions.
He noted that once a candidate secures admission through the latest UTME or DE process, any previous admission automatically ceases, as the law does not allow a candidate to hold two admissions concurrently.
He added that failure to disclose an existing matriculation status constitutes an offence. Although JAMB’s system is capable of detecting prior matriculation, any candidate found to have deliberately concealed such information risks forfeiting both admission opportunities.
The Board therefore cautioned the public against misleading interpretations being peddled by self-styled education advocates who distort official policies for selfish interests. Candidates and parents were advised to rely solely on official JAMB guidelines and publications for accurate information.