Admission: Sierra Leone Eyes JAMB Model As Board Decides 2026 Cut-Off Mark Monday

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) will on Monday hold its 2026 Policy Meeting where critical guidelines for admissions into tertiary institutions across Nigeria are expected to be adopted, including the determination of the minimum admissible scores for candidates.

The meeting, which will be chaired by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has also attracted international attention as Sierra Leone moves to understudy Nigeria’s centralised admission system with a view to replicating the JAMB model in its country.

JAMB’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr Fabian Benjamin, disclosed this in a statement posted on his X handle on Sunday.

According to him, the annual policy meeting remained one of the most significant events in Nigeria’s education calendar as stakeholders in the tertiary education sector converge to deliberate on admission procedures for universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.

“Tomorrow, Monday, 11th May, is a significant day as the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) will hold its 2026 Policy Meeting, to be chaired by the Honourable Minister of Education.

“At the meeting, guidelines for the 2026 admission exercise into all tertiary institutions in Nigeria will be considered and adopted, including the determination of the minimum tolerable scores for admissions,” he stated.

He revealed that this year’s meeting would also feature the participation of Sierra Leone’s Deputy Minister of Education, Mr Sarjoh Aziz Kamara, alongside the Vice-Chancellor of Ernest Bai Koroma University of Science and Technology, Prof Edwin Momoh, and the Vice-Chancellor of Njala University, Prof. Bashiru Koroma.

According to him, the Sierra Leonean delegation is in Nigeria to understudy the nation’s admission and examination system as their country planned to establish a body similar to JAMB to streamline and coordinate admissions into tertiary institutions.

Benjamin explained that the delegation had already been taken through the Board’s examination and admission processes at JAMB headquarters in Bwari, Abuja, ahead of Monday’s policy meeting.

He added that the visitors would also witness first-hand how stakeholders are integrated into Nigeria’s admission process through the policy meeting framework.

“The delegation was today taken through the examination and admission processes at the Board’s headquarters in Bwari.

“During tomorrow’s Policy Meeting, they will also witness firsthand how critical stakeholders are actively carried along in the admission value chain,” Dr Fabian said.

According to him, the Sierra Leonean officials expressed appreciation to JAMB, noting that the growing admission population in their country has created serious challenges, which Nigeria’s model appeared well-positioned to address.