In contrast to the Joint Admission Matriculation Board’s benchmark of 140, the vice chancellor of Kogi State University, Kabba, has defended the setting of 170 as the minimal cut-off scores for university admission.
The VC stated that lowering the cut off mark below 170 does not reflect well on the university and that he will not give in to the demands of people who want him to decrease the admission score.
Prof. Eniola, who spoke yesterday at the school’s end-of-year event, stated that he was aware that the institution should have agreed to the 140 score in order to attract many students, but doing so would be contrary to the school’s goal of setting high standards.
“Many people have accused us of setting our admissions scores too high, but our goal is not to make income, but to provide a standard education that we can be proud of.
“Setting 170 as an entrance criteria is not excessive. We recognise that as a new institution, we should be worried about attracting a large number of students, but lowering our standards in order to attract students will merely provide income for the school while also fostering mediocrity.
“Our motto is ‘Beating the best, to become the best” . We can only accomplish this if we set high standards from the start. Despite JAMB’s recommended score of 140, several colleges refuse to admit students with scores below 200.
Professor Eniola did, however, advise individuals who were interested in the new institution but did not make the 170 score to apply for “A” level courses, emphasising that these students would be given preference in the following session.
Additionally, he disclosed that 1,750 of the 3500 applicants who selected the university as their top option for the 2024–2025 academic year will be admitted. According to the Vice Chancellor, 1,200 students were enrolled in the new citadel of learning’s first academic year in January 2023.
In Essence
From the VC’s perspective, lowering the cut-off mark to the JAMB standard of 140 might boost student enrollment, but it would compromise the university’s long-term goal of providing a high-quality education.
By setting a higher cut-off, the institution aims to foster a culture of excellence, distinguishing itself from other institutions that may prioritize revenue generation over academic rigor.
The decision aligns with the university’s motto, “Beating the best, to become the best,” a reflection of its ambition to set a high bar for both its students and academic standards from the outset.
This approach is not without precedent, as other universities in Nigeria have adopted similar strategies by setting cut-off marks significantly higher than JAMB’s minimum threshold.
The VC’s assertion that many universities admit students with scores above 200 further illustrates that the decision is part of a broader trend among institutions aiming to maintain higher academic standards.
