The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) plans to admit 825,000 people with disability (PWD) by 2029.

The board is hosting education stakeholders and foreign nationals at the Africa Regional Conference on Equal Opportunity of Access to Higher Education (ARCEAHED) on September 17 and 18.

Yusuf Sununu, the minister of state for education, spoke at the conference in Maitama, Abuja on Tuesday.

He said JAMB, at the 67th National Council on Education meeting in December 2023, obtained approval to waive post-UTME for PWDs.

“This initiative, together with the ambitious target to enrol 825,000 students with disabilities cumulatively over the next five years, demonstrates our unwavering commitment to realizing equal access to education,” he said.

“All tertiary institutions in Nigeria are to offer admissions to all candidates with disabilities who possess minimum admissible scores into the programmes of their choice after writing UTME.”

At ARCEAHED, stakeholders discussed emerging issues on access to higher education and economic empowerment for PWDs.

Sununu said it is the responsibility of governments, academic institutions, the private sector, and civil society to ensure that PWDs are not left behind.

He said stakeholder interventions must focus on three areas, including the need to create inclusive education infrastructure, empower PWDs through economic inclusion, and embark on policy advocacy through the implementation of laws protecting PWD rights.

“We have to create opportunities between institutions of education, industries, and governments to develop ways that would take persons with disabilities from education to employment,” the minister said.

“The enactment and implementation of laws to protect the rights of persons with disabilities ensuring they have equal access to education, health, and employment facilities are very essential.

“Tertiary institutions should not only be admitting students with disabilities.

“They should be taking absolute care about accessibility in their campuses through the addition of necessary ramps, elevators, assistive technologies, and other accommodations that would make learning possible and comfortable for all.

“Teaching aids such as braille, interpreters in sign language, and digital materials prepared for various skills should be provided.”

The regional conference will host participants from African countries including Ethiopia, Malawi, and Egypt.

The Oyo State Government has announced the release of the 2024 screening and placement results for primary six pupils transitioning into Junior Secondary Schools and Schools of Science.

In a statement signed by the state Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology, Salihu Adelabu, in Ibadan on Tuesday, it was stated: “Head Teachers/Principals should visit their respective Local Inspector of Education offices to collect the screening/placement results.”

The statement further noted that pupils transitioning to the Schools of Science are expected to visit their respective science schools to obtain results.

The Commissioner added that the results were released last week.

The Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH) in Osara, Kogi state has commenced its 2024/2025 admission into all 50 programmes approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

Olufunke Hudson, registrar of the university, said the courses, are domiciled in the eight faculties of the university.

She said they are available on the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) processing system for candidates to select.

Hudson noted that candidates seeking admission into the university should have selected CUSTECH as the university of first choice during the process of applying for admission.

“A candidate who wishes to switch to CUSTECH should effect the change on the JAMB portal and select Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara as the university of first choice,” she added.

“The candidate should select also the desired programme/course for which he/she has the requisite UTME and O’Level subject combinations.”

For post-UTME, the registrar said candidates should ensure that they have the right UTME subject combination and at least five credits in relevant O’Level subjects, including English Language and Mathematics, as required for the programme selected.