The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has condemned the actions of an ad-hoc member instructing a Muslim candidate to adjust her hijab in a video circulating on social media.
The incident, which occurred during the first session of the examination day on Thursday, 16 April, at the Esther Oshikoya Computer-Based Test (CBT) Centre in Ibadan, adds to renewed scrutiny of screening practices at CBT centres regulated by JAMB.
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JAMB, has on multiple occasions, said asking candidates to remove their Hijab is not part of its policies and asked centres to desist from such act.
The footage, which circulated on X shows the candidate being stopped during screening ahead of biometric capture for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
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The video has since drawn criticism, with concerns raised over whether candidates’ religious rights are being consistently respected at CBT centres nationwide.
JAMB reacts
Reacting to the development, JAMB confirmed awareness of the incident and said it intervened immediately after its monitoring systems detected what happened at the centre.
In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, the board said it intervened by calling to order the ad hoc official involved and issuing immediate instructions that no candidate wearing a hijab should be asked to remove or alter.
The board stressed that the incident did not reflect its official policy or approved procedures, insisting it was the action of an individual staff member.
“The board wishes to state clearly that this act was neither perpetrated by the centre nor part of its official protocol. Rather, it was the action of an overzealous ad hoc staff member who failed to adhere to the board’s established guidelines regarding candidates’ religious attire,” it said.
Screening guidelines
The examination body reiterated that it respects the religious beliefs of all candidates and maintains that religious expression, including dressing, is protected under its policies.
It added that all ad-hoc staff have now been reminded of proper screening procedures to prevent similar incidents.
“For the avoidance of doubt, all ad hoc staff have been further briefed and reminded of the approved procedures for screening candidates at all centres,” it stated.
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Recurring concerns
Despite JAMB’s clarification, the Ibadan incident adds to a pattern of similar complaints in recent years involving the treatment of hijab-wearing candidates during registration and examination processes.
While the board has consistently maintained that hijab is allowed during screening, it also requires that biometric features be clearly visible for identification purposes, a rule that has sometimes been unevenly interpreted at CBT centres.
In previous clarifications, JAMB has said candidates are not required to remove their hijab, saying all that is needed is their facial features for biometric capture.
