Latest news reaching us today is coming from the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC). The NIMC management has officially directed all its enrollment centers in Nigeria, to give preferential treatment to applicants sitting for the 2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME)/Direct Entry (DE) examinations, for enrolment and issuance of the National Identification Number (NIN).
As you’ll recall, the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) had in October, disclosed that it will no longer register candidates who do not have the National Identity Number (NIN) for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
The JAMB board also disclosed that only intending candidates who have their NIN will be registered, beginning with the 2020 examination.
However, the House of Representatives had last month, asked JAMB to suspend the “no NIN, no JAMB” policy until the 2021 JAMB registration, which means that candidates can actually register for the 2020 JAMB without the need for NIN.
For those who are not aware, the National Identity Number (NIN) is the nation’s database that captures personal data towards assigning a unique identity to every Nigerian citizen.
In a recently released statement signed by the spokesperson of NIMC, Abdulhamid Umar, which reads:
“Pursuant to the collaboration between the National Identity Management Commission and the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to make the NIN a compulsory requirement for all applicants who will be registering for the 2020 UTME/DE Examinations, which is in line with the enforcement of the mandatory use of the NIN as provided in the NIMC ACT of 2007,” the statement reads.
Mr. Aziz further disclosed that the new policy forms part of the ongoing efforts to curb unwholesome acts and infractions that have long-since characterized UTME/DE exams at the point of registration, examination and admission of applicants over the previous years.
Mr.Aziz advised parents and guardians to ensure that their wards carefully fill the enrolment forms to make sure that all names are arranged properly and the correct date of birth registered.
The NIMC spokesperson also said that all UTME/DE applicants are to be accorded special consideration in line with established standard of the enrolment processes that includes capturing of biometric and demographic data of any applicant before the issuance of the NIN and verifying the applicants at the point of UTME/DE registration.
The spokesperson further disclosed that all school authorities, including local education secretaries, should endeavor to inform and educate parents, guardians, and students on the importance of registering for the National Identification Number (NIN) to enable aspirants who wish to register for the 2020 UTME/DE registration which is billed to commence in January.
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