JAMB Backs Sierra Leone’s Centralised Admissions System for Universities

Sierra Leone partners with Nigeria’s JAMB to implement a Centralised Admissions System to enhance transparency, fairness, and digital efficiency in university admissions.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Government of Sierra Leone in establishing a transparent, efficient, and technology-driven Centralized Admissions System (CAS) for tertiary institutions across the country.

The assurance was given during a high-level stakeholder engagement organized by Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Technical and Higher Education (MTHE) in Freetown, according to a statement issued by JAMB’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr Fabian Benjamin.

The engagement forms part of Sierra Leone’s ongoing efforts to reform its higher education admissions process. It follows an earlier visit by a Sierra Leonean delegation, led by Deputy Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Sarjoh Aziz-Kamara, to Nigeria, where officials studied the operations of Nigeria’s centralized admissions model during JAMB’s Annual Policy Meeting.

Following the visit, Nigeria’s Minister of Education approved a technical mission by JAMB to Sierra Leone to share practical experiences and implementation strategies for the proposed system.

Speaking at the event, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Dr Haja Ramatulai Wurie, revealed that the Centralised Admissions System had already received Cabinet approval and is backed by the country’s Universities Act of 2021.

She explained that the reform aims to address inefficiencies associated with the current decentralised admissions process by creating a unified digital platform for universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.

According to Dr Wurie, the initiative is being implemented in collaboration with key stakeholders, including the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC), the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA), the National Telecommunications Authority (NATCA), and the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education.

She noted that Sierra Leone intends to adapt proven global best practices to its unique educational environment rather than simply replicate another country's admissions model.

The minister also expressed appreciation to Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, for supporting the reform initiative, describing the planned admissions system as a major step toward restructuring higher education admissions in Sierra Leone.

Deputy Minister Sarjoh Aziz-Kamara described the reform as a significant move toward transparency, accountability, efficiency, and fairness in tertiary admissions. He disclosed that the government had approved the creation of a Centralised Admissions Secretariat within the ministry to oversee admissions through a unified digital platform.

A major highlight of the stakeholder engagement was JAMB’s presentation of a comprehensive framework for developing a national digital admissions architecture designed to enhance transparency, eliminate duplication, improve data integrity, and strengthen educational planning.

Addressing participants, JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, commended Sierra Leone’s inclusive and consultative approach to the reform process. He noted that Nigeria introduced its centralised admissions system in 1978 to tackle challenges similar to those currently facing Sierra Leone.

Prof. Oloyede assured stakeholders of JAMB’s continued technical support throughout the implementation process, stressing that the objective is not to export the Nigerian model wholesale but to help Sierra Leone develop a system tailored to its national realities while benefiting from Nigeria’s decades of experience in admissions administration.

The stakeholder engagement attracted wide participation from education sector leaders, government officials, university administrators, and regulatory agencies across Sierra Leone.

JAMB’s delegation included the Chairman of the Association of West African Universities (AWAU), Prof. Wahab Egbewole; Public Communication Advisor, Dr Fabian Benjamin; Deputy Director of Operations, Mr Ashura Abdullahi; Data Analyst, Mr Oluwaseyi Bada; and Social Media Content Provider, Mr Prince Kalu.

The visit marks another milestone in educational cooperation between Nigeria and Sierra Leone, reinforcing both countries’ commitment to expanding access to quality higher education through innovation, transparency, and institutional collaboration.