Under-aged JAMB top scorers  : Rights activist threatens JAMB  * As Greg varsity offers them scholarship 

Under-aged top scorers  : Rights activist threatens JAMB

* As Greg varsity offers them scholarship

By Steve Oko

A rights activist, Comrade Paul Njoku, has threatened the Joint Admission & Matriculation Board, JAMB, with legal action if it did not rescind its position on the under-aged candidate that scored the highest score in 2019 JAMB examination, Master Franklin Ekele.

 

A 15-year old Imo -born  Franklin,  emerged the overall best candidate in the 2019 Unified Tertiary Matriculations Examination (UTME) conducted between April 11 and 15.

Franklin’s, who made University of Lagos his first Choice, scored 347 and may not be admitted because of his age.

The Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Ishaq Oloyede, disclosed this at a news conference to announce the release of the results in Abuja .

Emmanuel Chidiebube, a 16-year old boy from Abia State came second with a score of 346, while Isaac Olamude, a 17-year old from Osun State came third with 345 scores.

Reacting to the development , the rights activist  faulted JAMB, accusing the exam body of injustice against the under-aged candidate.

 

He also accused JAMB of ethnic bias against the two top scorers who all come from the South East.

“I disagree with JAMB on this unbridled issue. The clandestine and criminal attempt by the JAMB to clannishly prevent Mr.Elele Franklin, who hails from Imo State  and who also emerged the overall best candidate in the 2019 Unified Tertiary Matriculations Examination (UTME) conducted between April 11 and April 15 and who scored 347 and Mr. Emmanuel Chidebube, from Abia State who emerged second overall candidate with 346 scores, is not only misleading but, criminal, prejudicing, biased, unacceptable and must be contested in the court of law.

“If JAMB can qualify these teenagers in the first place to write the examination having collected money from them and start now to disqualify them  from gaining admission into the University simply because they emerged victoriously excellent above all other Nigerians, then it amounts to double-standard of malfeasances and infidelity. They should be qualified to gain admission into their school of choices and be awarded scholarships devoid of hindrances and clannishness.

“If JAMB who once said this year that the examination and results would last for 3 years validity, Nigerians would want to know why are they trying to deny these teenagers admission. In sane climes, these children would be caught young and awarded scholarships for their brilliant and sense of intellect so far demonstrated in the exercise.

“Why do Nigerians like to waste talents? If JAMB is aware that there are also teenagers between the age of 15-16 years in our tertiary institutions, they should have a rethink or get ready to see this injustice contested in the Court”. Njoku said.

Meanwhile, the Chancellor of Gregory University Uturu, Professor Greg Ibe, has offered tuition -free scholarship to the duo in his university.

Professor Ibe in a release by the Head, Media & Public Relations of the university, Mr.  Ogbonnaya Ogwo, decried what he called ” the negative attitude of unwittingly slowing down the academic progress of endowed children “.

He urged stakeholders in the education sector to ensure immediate removal of all age-induced stumbling blocks to academic progress of gifted children.

Professor Ibe recalled that recently, Miss Simiat Abimbola – Owo-Alade graduated from Medical Science  in far -away Indian university at the age of 23 after being denied admission in Nigeria.

Ibe called on the parents of the affected candidates to immediately come to his university and enroll the boys who he described as genius.