BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION INTO NIGERIAN INSTITUTIONS

Annually, millions of students aspire to gain admission into their choice of institution to further pursue their dreams but all of these aspirations do not just come into reality as it is no child’s play; there is a procession of requirements expected of aspiring students to prove their intelligence and capabilities which will enable them to apply and gain entry with ease.

Pursuit into tertiary institutions in Nigeria is on the rise and we don’t see this trend gliding down rapidly. If you want the easy way to get admitted, then you must be ready to make the tough decisions and take the arduous road.

In all sincerity, there are no easy ways to get admitted into Nigerian institutions. Affirmative! As frustrating as that may sound, we cannot hide from the apparent truth – admission in Nigeria is not easy. Thousands lead to millions of candidates registering for JAMB every year and this figure keeps rising, and the admission openings are limited.

The subsequent prerequisites are very tantamount for those who are enthusiastic about gaining admission into Nigerian institutions. Although other things may be required relying on the school in question those are secondary and not of basic or urgent necessity. The major primary requirements have been itemized below:

WEST AFRICAN EXAMINATION COUNCIL (WAEC)

The West African Examination Council (WAEC) established in 1952 is an independent body saddled with the responsibility of conducting assessment and awarding certificates yearly for candidates seeking to gain admission into any tertiary institution. This examination is not only written in Nigeria as it encompasses all English-speaking West African countries. Subjects such as English language and Mathematics are compulsory while other subjects depending on the candidates choice of department. Candidates are required to write 9 subjects in this examination and for admission purposes, 5 credits are the basic requirements.

NATIONAL EXAMINATION COUNCIL (NECO)

The National Examination Council (NECO) established in 1999 is an examination body in Nigeria that conducts the Senior Secondary school examination and the General Certificate in Education in June/July and November/December respectively. This examination is only written by qualified Nigerian students and serves as a substitute mostly for admission purposes. Students who do not make some papers in WAEC can have an edge if they sit for NECO.

GENERAL CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION (GCE)

The General Certificate Examination (GCE) replaced the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE). This examination is of two forms based on the bodies that execute them. There is the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school private candidates in November/December. This is conducted by the West African Examinations Council – West Africa’s major evaluating board.
The other General Certificate Examination that is also widespread in Nigeria is the one executed by National Examination Council, NECO. This Senior School Certificate Examination is for External Candidates only. It is also held in the November/December period of every year.

UNIFIED TERTIARY MATRICULATION EXAMINATION (UTME)

The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) organizes the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for students seeking admission into Nigerian institutions; it is a computer-based test. Candidates are required to choose two universities, two polytechnics, and two colleges of education of their choice, with the first and second choice courses of the candidate’s choice. This new protocol of admission applies to both public and private higher institutions in Nigeria.
The Registrar of JAMB and other officials yearly have policy meetings to deliberate and decide on the cut-off marks that should be pegged across all institutions in Nigeria.
However, tertiary institutions in Nigeria are given the liberty to fix their cut-off marks.

POST-UTME

Last but not least is the POST UTME; this examination is organized by individual institutions and they have their unique way of grading candidates. Failure to pass this examination might make the efforts of candidates unfruitful. Candidates must have overcome all the examinations above before they get the opportunity to write POST UTME.
Some institutions on the other hand just perform screening for their candidates rather than conducting an examination.