JAMB Raises Alarm Over Fraudulent A’Level Certificates in Tertiary Institutions

Warns Institutions Against Admitting Students Without Proper Verification

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has expressed serious concerns over the increasing use of fraudulent Advanced Level (A’level) certificates by students seeking admission into tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

In its weekly bulletin released on Monday in Abuja, JAMB’s Public Communication Advisor, Fabian Benjamin, revealed that the board had recently discovered 13 additional fake A’level certificates submitted for admission consideration.

Some of these fraudulent certificates had already been processed by institutions before being detected, raising questions about the credibility of the admission screening process.

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Institutions Must Verify Credentials Diligently

JAMB strongly warned institutions against failing to verify admission credentials, stressing that such negligence undermines the integrity of the education system.

“The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has observed that some institutions are failing to verify the results used for admitting candidates, particularly those seeking Direct Entry (DE) admission,” the bulletin stated.

The board emphasized that one of the primary responsibilities of tertiary institutions is to ensure that only genuine academic documents are used during the admission and registration process.

Introduction of NIPEDS to Combat Certificate Fraud

JAMB disclosed that it launched the Nigeria Integrated Post-Secondary Education Data System (NIPEDS) two years ago to address the growing issue of certificate forgery.

This decision came after Bayero University, Kano (BUK) reported that out of 148 A’level results verified by the institution, only six were genuine, exposing a widespread problem of fraudulent qualifications.

Through NIPEDS, JAMB has received confirmations from foreign institutions alerting them to forged certificates submitted by candidates attempting to gain admission into Nigerian universities.

Institutions That Accept Fake Certificates Will Be Held Accountable

JAMB’s bulletin further revealed that institutions that fail to properly verify admission documents could be seen as accomplices in fraudulent activities.

“Recently, thirteen additional A’level certificates were identified as fake after being submitted for admission consideration, with some institutions having already proposed the candidates based on these fraudulent documents.

“The candidates involved have been referred to law enforcement agencies for prosecution. Consequently, institutions that propose candidates for admission using fake certificates will be viewed as accomplices in this fraudulent activity.”

ABU Zaria Case Exposes Rampant Forgery in IJMBE Results

One of the most alarming cases of certificate forgery, according to JAMB, involved candidates who submitted forged Interim Joint Matriculation Board Examination (IJMBE) results from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria in an attempt to gain admission into the same university.

JAMB urged all tertiary institutions to take responsibility for thoroughly verifying all A’level qualifications, regardless of whether they were issued by their own institution or others.

JAMB’s Call for Strict Verification Processes

As certificate fraud continues to threaten the credibility of Nigeria’s education system, JAMB has reiterated the importance of due diligence in admissions processing. The board urged institutions to utilize the NIPEDS system while also conducting independent verification of credentials.

With law enforcement agencies now involved, JAMB has signaled that no tolerance will be given to students or institutions involved in academic fraud.