UTME: Underage candidates not required to produce vaccination card -JAMB

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, has clarified that candidates and visitors below the age of 18 years are not required to present COVID-19 vaccination cards before being granted access into JAMB examination halls and facilities.

A statement issued on Tuesday and signed by the head of JAMB’s media and protocol unit, Fabian Benjamin, said those mandated to provide vaccination cards are persons covered under the NCDC Vaccination policy.

Benjamin said the clarification became necessary because it “discovered that many underage candidates were making frantic efforts to get vaccinated with some even falsifying their age to be vaccinated just to access services at the Board’s facilities.”

The statement reads in part; “All candidates, clients, and other members of the public below the age of 18 years are not required to produce any vaccination card before being allowed access to our facilities. This category of persons is not covered by the NCDC vaccination policy.”

The examination body, however, said it would require evidence of being underage to allow any underage individual access to its facilities.

The PUNCH had reported that the Board had announced a policy of no vaccination card, no entry into any of its facilities nationwide but discovered that many underage candidates were making frantic efforts to get vaccinated with some even falsifying their age to be vaccinated just to access services at the Board’s facilities.

“It is to be noted that the policy, as announced by the Board, is in tandem with the NCDC policy of no vaccination, no access to public places as well as ensuring that only persons eligible for vaccination are vaccinated and issued the card.

“Meanwhile, in view of likely abuse by individuals, the Board would also require evidence of being underage to allow any underage individual access to its facilities.

“This directive is to protect the public as well as the staff of the Board from the ravaging virus and would want all and sundry to play their own part in this battle of ensuring that we have a healthy and productive population.”