The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has taken disciplinary action against officials accused of harassing a hijab-wearing candidate during the accreditation process at the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for 2024
The incident occurred at the Bafuto Institute, Ile-Iwe Bus Stop, Ejigbo, Lagos, examination center, and was brought to light through a news report on Sunday.
JAMB’s Public Communication Advisor, Fabian Benjamin, addressed the matter in a statement released on Sunday in Abuja, expressing deep regret over the incident and emphasising that such actions were contrary to the board’s accreditation guidelines.
According to the statement, the candidate was reportedly asked to remove her hijab before being allowed into the examination hall, a requirement deemed inappropriate by JAMB’s standards.
The board clarified that its guidelines specifically ensure that all candidates are screened by female officials, respecting religious attire like the hijab.
The issue was promptly addressed by a senior JAMB official at the center, who intervened to allow the candidate to proceed after standard checks with her hijab. Despite this resolution, the officials responsible were sanctioned as a deterrent against future breaches of protocol.
The statement emphasised JAMB’s commitment to impartiality and adherence to Nigeria’s diverse cultural and religious landscape, asserting that religious attire should not hinder a candidate’s participation in the examination.
Additionally, JAMB disclosed that the conduct of the 2024 UTME has proceeded smoothly, with over 1.2 million candidates expected to have completed the examination by Monday. The board reassured the public of its dedication to ensuring fair and transparent processes in selecting qualified candidates for admission into tertiary institutions across the country.
