OPSAN Urges JAMB NUC Suspend Admissions Over Pending O'Level Results

• The Owners of Private Schools Association of Nigeria (OPSAN) has urged the Federal Government to suspend tertiary admissions for the 2026/2027 academic session.
• The call is due to pending O'Level results from NECO, NABTEB, and some 2025/2026 WAEC results, which are disadvantaging many students.
• OPSAN appealed to Minister of Education Dr Tunji Alausa to direct JAMB and NUC to halt admission processes and Post-UTME activities.
• The association argues that proceeding with admissions without all results unfairly excludes students from technical, vocational, and commercial schools.
• OPSAN believes relying solely on WAEC results undermines national examination bodies and creates an uneven playing field for Nigerian candidates.

OPSAN asserted that JAMB's decision to grant admissions without waiting for NECO and NABTEB results constitutes a disservice to national examination bodies, emphasizing that Nigeria should be strengthening these institutions rather than implicitly making WAEC the sole benchmark for UTME admissions.

The Owners of Private Schools Association of Nigeria (OPSAN) has formally requested the Federal Government to halt the ongoing admission process for the 2026/2027 academic session. This demand, articulated in a statement by OPSAN's National President, Prof. Uzochukwu Solomon Nwanonyuo, following a stakeholders' meeting, stems from concerns over the delayed release of various O'Level examination results. The association argues that proceeding with admissions while significant results are outstanding creates an unfair disadvantage for many prospective tertiary students.

OPSAN specifically criticized the current practice of basing admissions primarily on available West African Examinations Council (WAEC) results. They highlighted that results from other key examination bodies, including the National Examinations Council (NECO) and the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), are still pending. Furthermore, the association noted that some public, mission, and private secondary schools have not yet received their own 2025/2026 WAEC results, compounding the issue for a segment of the student population. Despite these delays, many universities have already initiated, and in some instances, concluded their Post-UTME and admission procedures.

In response to the perceived inequity, OPSAN has appealed directly to the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, urging his immediate intervention. The association specifically called for Dr. Alausa to direct the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to suspend the entire admission process until all O'Level results become available. Concurrently, OPSAN also implored the National Universities Commission (NUC) to instruct universities across Nigeria to pause their Post-UTME and admission activities, awaiting the full release of all outstanding examination outcomes.

The association underscored that a substantial number of candidates rely on NECO and NABTEB results for their admission into tertiary institutions. This group notably includes students from technical colleges, federal science and technical colleges, and vocational and commercial schools. OPSAN warned that continuing admissions without these results would effectively exclude these students, deeming such a situation neither proper nor justified. They pointed out that some federal universities have already finalized admissions for professional courses, thereby denying students awaiting NECO and NABTEB results any opportunity to compete.

Beyond the immediate suspension of admissions, OPSAN also called for broader actions from the examination bodies themselves. They urged WAEC to publish a comprehensive list of all candidates who participated in the 2025/2026 examination. Simultaneously, NECO and NABTEB were pressed to accelerate the release of their respective results to alleviate the current bottleneck.

OPSAN characterized the prevailing situation as a national concern, contending that Nigeria's own examination bodies, NECO and NABTEB, should not be disadvantaged in the admission process. The association argued that granting preference to WAEC, which is a regional examination body, undermines the credibility and importance of national institutions. They cautioned that relying solely on WAEC results for UTME admissions could erode confidence in NECO and NABTEB, thereby creating an uneven playing field for candidates. OPSAN asserted that JAMB's decision to grant admissions without waiting for NECO and NABTEB results constitutes a disservice to national examination bodies, emphasizing that Nigeria should be strengthening these institutions rather than implicitly making WAEC the sole benchmark for UTME admissions. The association concluded that all O'Level results must be released before admissions commence to ensure a level playing ground for every Nigerian child.

Lawyers advising educational institutions (universities, private schools) or students should monitor potential policy changes from JAMB and NUC regarding admission timelines, as well as potential legal challenges arising from the perceived unfairness of the current admission process due to delayed O'Level results.

Source: Original reporting via Vanguard