The leadership of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has come under renewed scrutiny as operators of tutorial schools call for a reform of the registrar’s tenure. Their demand is simple: limit the registrar’s office to a single five-year term without renewal.
What Does the Current Law Say?
Under the JAMB Act, the President appoints a registrar for five years, with the option of renewal for another term. This means a registrar could serve for up to 10 years.
Why Are Operators Opposed to Renewal?
The Association of Tutorial School Operators argues that:
Extended tenure weakens accountability: staying too long in office, they say, creates overconfidence and complacency.
Fresh leadership is healthy: regular change brings new ideas and keeps the system dynamic.
Stakeholders lose trust when one person wields authority for too long.
The Secretary of the association in Oyo State, Ogundokun Olufunso, put it plainly:
“Five years is enough. Extending it to 10 years is too much.”
Who Is the Current Registrar?
Prof. Is-haq Oloyede has been at the helm since August 2016, appointed by then-President Muhammadu Buhari. His first five-year term ended in 2021, but he was reappointed for another five years, which is due to end in 2026.
Other Concerns Raised by Operators
Beyond the issue of tenure, tutorial operators also criticised some JAMB policies:
Restricted services: candidates can only process changes of institution or upload O’level results at JAMB offices or approved CBT centres.
Impact on cybercafes: this policy sidelines small businesses that used to offer such services.
Higher costs and congestion: students face extra expenses and long queues at CBT centres.
However, they praised JAMB for introducing computer-based testing, noting that it has sanitised the exam system and increased enrolment in tutorial centres.
What Is JAMB’s Response?
The board’s spokesperson, Dr Fabian Benjamin, declined to comment on the matter.
The Bottom Line
Tutorial school operators want a reform that caps the JAMB registrar’s office to one term only. They believe this would improve accountability, open the door to new leadership, and prevent excessive concentration of power.
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