JAMB Takes Action Against Officials For Discrimination Against Hijab-Wearing Candidate

Following an incident at the Bafuto Institute, Ile-Iwe Bus Stop, Ejigbo, Lagos, during the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has initiated disciplinary measures against some of its officials. Reports from Naija News indicate that a female candidate wearing a hijab faced harassment during the accreditation process, where she was asked to remove her hijab before entering the examination hall, contrary to JAMB’s inclusive guidelines.

The occurrence on Saturday prompted a swift response from JAMB’s management. Dr. Fabian Benjamin, JAMB’s Head of Public Affairs, expressed regret over the incident, emphasizing that it contradicted the Board’s examination guidelines. He clarified that a senior official addressed the situation immediately, allowing the candidate in question to proceed after customary checks with her hijab.

Subsequent investigations revealed that the incident resulted from the actions of certain JAMB-accredited partners or officials who were unaware of the Board’s guidelines regarding accreditation. Benjamin noted, “However, since ignorance of the law is not an excuse, the officials have been appropriately sanctioned to serve as a deterrent to others who might wish to toe the same line going forward.”

JAMB reaffirmed its commitment to upholding candidates’ rights to wear religious attire, asserting that the institution has no policy against candidates wearing religious paraphernalia. Benjamin stressed that the Board, as a national institution, acknowledges candidates’ freedom to express their religious beliefs through attire, reflecting the diverse fabric of Nigerian society

. He assured the public that measures are underway to prevent similar incidents in the future, reiterating JAMB’s dedication to its mandate of ensuring the fair selection of qualified candidates for admission into the nation’s tertiary institutions.

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