Senate Seeks Review Of NIN Policy As Requirement For JAMB Registration

The Senate, on Tuesday, urged the Federal Ministry of Education,
Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the National
Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to review the implementation
of its policymaking the National Identification Number (NIN) a
mandatory requirement for the 2021 Unified Tertiary Matriculation
Examination (UTME) registration.

The Senate also called for the extension of the UTME
registration deadline until there is a seamless and well organised
process for obtaining the NIN.

The Senate further urged the Federal Ministry of Education and
NIMC to introduce and streamline a simple and decentralised NIN
registration process where students would be able to obtain their
NIN in their various accredited school premises.

These resolutions of the upper chamber followed a motion on the
floor by Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, at plenary.

The Senator said the policy was an inconsiderate and premature
decision that has further complicated the already rigorous process
of both registering for UTME examination and procuring the NIN.

He said available statistics indicate that in 2020, more than
two million candidates registered for UTME and that the
introduction of NIN threatens to significantly lower the number of
registered candidates in 2021 because majority of these candidates
are just attaining the age when they can obtain the NIN.

“This is a brazen infringement on the right to education of
young Nigerians who may not be able to meet the deadline to obtain
their NIN and register for JAMB,” he said.

He called for the suspension of the policy until the conditions
for obtaining NIN improves tremendously.

Senator Uche Lilian Ekwunife supported the motion.

She said there was still a lack of awareness on NIN at the
grassroots, secondary schools and universities, as many students
were unaware that the national identification number was a
requirement for exam registration.

The Senate, on Tuesday, urged the Federal Ministry of Education,
Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the National
Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to review the implementation
of its policymaking the National Identification Number (NIN) a
mandatory requirement for the 2021 Unified Tertiary Matriculation
Examination (UTME) registration.

The Senate also called for the extension of the UTME
registration deadline until there is a seamless and well organised
process for obtaining the NIN.

The Senate further urged the Federal Ministry of Education and
NIMC to introduce and streamline a simple and decentralised NIN
registration process where students would be able to obtain their
NIN in their various accredited school premises.

These resolutions of the upper chamber followed a motion on the
floor by Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, at plenary.

The Senator said the policy was an inconsiderate and premature
decision that has further complicated the already rigorous process
of both registering for UTME examination and procuring the NIN.

He said available statistics indicate that in 2020, more than
two million candidates registered for UTME and that the
introduction of NIN threatens to significantly lower the number of
registered candidates in 2021 because majority of these candidates
are just attaining the age when they can obtain the NIN.

“This is a brazen infringement on the right to education of
young Nigerians who may not be able to meet the deadline to obtain
their NIN and register for JAMB,” he said.

He called for the suspension of the policy until the conditions
for obtaining NIN improves tremendously.

Senator Uche Lilian Ekwunife supported the motion.

She said there was still a lack of awareness on NIN at the
grassroots, secondary schools and universities, as many students
were unaware that the national identification number was a
requirement for exam registration.