By Zakariyya Aliyu Gwaram
Albarka Radio on Tuesday aired a live participatory programme, “Gatarin Gwari,” focusing on the challenges surrounding tertiary institution admissions in Nigeria, with particular emphasis on the widespread rush for medical courses and the resulting loss of admission opportunities for many candidates.
The programme featured Yaseer Al-Amin Ilelah, an ICT consultant and CBT Centre Manager at Safuz Academy Bauchi; Abdussalam Khalid, Executive Director of Scholars Initiative for Youth Development; and Umar Yunusa, a PhD candidate, as discussants.
Speaking on the programme, Mr. Yaseer Al-Amin, who works closely with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), provided critical clarifications on the upcoming JAMB registration exercise, urging parents and candidates to understand key requirements to avoid disqualification.
According to him, possession of a National Identification Number (NIN) remains mandatory for all candidates. He explained that candidates are required to send their NIN via their SIM card to generate a 10-digit profile code, which is essential for JAMB registration.
“Without the NIN and profile code, a candidate cannot proceed with JAMB registration. Also, age requirement is strictly enforced. Any candidate who will not be 16 years old by 30th September will not be allowed to complete registration, even if a profile code is generated,” Yaseer cautioned.
He further attributed most registration challenges to network issues, reused phone numbers, and phone settings that block pop-up messages. As a solution, he advised candidates to obtain new SIM cards where necessary and visit accredited CBT centres for assistance.
“Our centres are open to support candidates. In fact, NIMC officials are often present during registration to help resolve NIN-related issues. Candidates who lost their SIM cards or cannot retrieve their old numbers must come physically to the centre for profile recovery,” he added.
On course selection, Yaseer stressed the importance of proper subject combinations and parental involvement, urging parents to sit with their children and study the JAMB brochure, now available online.
“Parents must guide their children through the JAMB brochure and syllabus. For example, Engineering requires Mathematics, English, Physics and Chemistry, while English is compulsory for all courses,” he explained.
Contributing to the discussion, Umar Yunusa, who holds a first degree in Animal Production and is currently pursuing postgraduate studies, advised young school leavers to explore non-medical but equally relevant courses, particularly in agriculture.
He described agriculture-related courses as practical and sustainable, noting that graduates can be self-reliant without depending on government jobs.
“Agriculture aligns with our current realities. With the right knowledge, one can be productive, create wealth and even help address conflicts such as farmer-herder clashes through modern practices like ranching,” Yunusa said.
Similarly, Abdussalam Khalid highlighted ongoing sensitisation efforts by the Scholars Initiative for Youth Development to guide O-level graduates on career choices and JAMB registration.
He disclosed that the initiative operates a WhatsApp platform where students receive guidance on course selection and admission processes, stressing that the effort is driven by collective societal interest rather than government support.
“We are doing this to build a safe, literate and informed society. Education is central to all religions and development, and religious and community institutions must be part of this process,” Abdussalam noted.
On public perception of agriculture as an unattractive field, Abdussalam dismissed such views, citing countries like Ethiopia, India, Israel and Hungary where technology-driven agriculture has boosted productivity and economic returns.
Listeners who called into the programme raised questions on reusing old JAMB profiles, Open University admissions, and joining the Scholars Initiative. It was clarified that candidates can reuse existing profiles by sending RESEND to 55019 or 66019 from the original phone number, while Open Universities still require special JAMB registration even though candidates do not sit for the UTME.
The programme concluded with a strong call to parents to be deliberate and informed about their children’s academic strengths, and to make better use of available resources such as land for agriculture. Government was also urged to strengthen secondary education to better prepare students for tertiary studies.
Albarka Radio encouraged parents and students to engage with the Scholars Initiative for Youth Development via WhatsApp on 08032629767 for guidance, especially as the JAMB registration exercise approaches.