Two major academic unions— the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP)—have rejected the new national admission cut-off marks set by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), describing them as detrimental to academic standards.
Following the 2025 JAMB policy meeting held in Abuja, JAMB, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and other stakeholders, set 150 as the minimum cut-off for university admissions, and 100 for polytechnics and colleges of education. The minimum score for nursing colleges was set at 140. ASUU President, Professor Chris Piwuna, criticised the process and described the meeting as “illegal,” arguing that it undermines the autonomy of university senates to determine admission criteria.
“I am shocked that some vice chancellors would subject their institutions to the authority of JAMB. This contradicts the principle of university autonomy,” he said.
ASUP President, Comrade Shammah Kpanja, also faulted the benchmarks, calling them “counterproductive.” He said that requiring only 37.5% for university admission and 25% for polytechnics would further weaken academic quality. The Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) supported the reaffirmation of 16 as the minimum admission age, but warned that the cut-off marks could lower entry standards. COEASU President, Dr Smart Olugbeko, said that while the age policy is not new, poor compliance has rendered it ineffective.
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), meanwhile, supported the intention of broadening access but warned against sacrificing quality. NANS spokesperson Samson Ajasa Adeyemi said striking a balance between access and standards remains a significant challenge. JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, defended the policy, stating that the cut-off marks reflect the current realities in the education sector. He said institutions still retain the autonomy to set higher thresholds and must complete the admission process within the approved calendar.
