JAMB Backs Sierra Leone Towards Adopting Nigeria’s Centralised Tertiary Admission Model

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has pledged technical support to the government of Sierra Leone as it moves to establish a Centralised Admissions System (CAS) aimed at improving transparency, efficiency and accountability in admissions into tertiary institutions.

The development was disclosed in a statement by JAMB’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, following a high-level stakeholder engagement organised by Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Technical and Higher Education (MTHE) at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Freetown.

The engagement forms part of ongoing efforts by the Sierra Leonean government to reform its higher education admissions process through a unified digital platform for universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.

The initiative follows an earlier visit by a delegation from Sierra Leone, led by Deputy Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Sarjoh Aziz-Kamara, to Nigeria, where members observed the operations of Nigeria’s centralised admissions model during JAMB’s Annual Policy Meeting.

The visit culminated in the approval of a technical mission by Nigeria’s Minister of Education to support Sierra Leone’s reform efforts.

Addressing stakeholders, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Dr. Haja Ramatulai Wurie, said the proposed Centralised Admissions System had already received cabinet approval and is backed by the Universities Act of 2021.

She noted that the system would address challenges associated with the current decentralised admissions process and improve coordination across institutions.

Wurie said the reform is being implemented in collaboration with key agencies, including the Tertiary Education Commission, the West African Examinations Council, the National Civil Registration Authority, the National Telecommunications Authority, and other stakeholders.

She also expressed appreciation to Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, for supporting the initiative.

Deputy Minister Aziz-Kamara described the reform as a significant step towards ensuring fairness, accountability and efficiency in admissions.

He disclosed that cabinet had approved the establishment of a Centralised Admissions Secretariat within the ministry to oversee the new digital platform.

A major highlight of the meeting was JAMB’s presentation of a framework for building a national digital admissions architecture designed to enhance transparency, improve data integrity, eliminate duplication and strengthen educational planning.

Speaking at the event, JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, commended Sierra Leone’s inclusive approach to the reform process.

He explained that Nigeria established its centralised admissions system in 1978 to tackle challenges similar to those currently facing Sierra Leone.

Oloyede assured stakeholders of JAMB’s continued technical assistance, stressing that the objective was not to replicate the Nigerian model but to help Sierra Leone develop a system tailored to its unique educational needs while benefiting from Nigeria’s decades of experience.

The visit is expected to further strengthen educational cooperation between Nigeria and Sierra Leone and promote wider access to quality higher education through innovation and institutional collaboration.