Some Port Harcourt residents in Rivers State have condemned the recent 120 cut-off point announced by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to be a minimum cut-off point for 2017/2018 tertiary admission consideration for universities across the country.
The Port Harcourt residents are of the opinion that such development would reduce the standard of education as it would not encourage serious reading among prospective students.
Speaking with The Tide in an interview, Mr Greg Ofuadimma described the decision taken by JAMB as unhealthy for the nation’s education system, noting that the 120 bench mark is capable of lowering the standard of university education in the country.
According to him, the cut-off mark will subject the universities to an undue pressure in terms of admission, adding that universities will be battling with high influx of students for admission.
He urged the body to have a rethink on the decision and come out  with a better position  that would help to add value to the standard of Nigerian universities and the education system at large.
“We are yet to be briefed on the reasons while JAMB has to slash the cut-off point of  university admission to that level. Until then, I think that they have to critically review their decision once again”, he stated.
Also speaking, a female student of Philosophy, Faculty of Humanities, Anambra State University, Miss Laurel Felix said the position taken by JAMB for 2017/2018 university admission cut-off point of 120 if allowed would send wrong signal to the international community on the standard of education in the country.
She urged JAMB to revert to  the cut-off point  of 180 it was and described the decision as a national embarrassment.
In his own view, Mr Chinwendu Iwubi, a school teacher in the state said the recent decision taken by JAMB on university admission for 2017/2018 would discourage students seeking admission into universities from embarking on intensive reading and preparation.
Mr Iwubi was of the opinion that rather than slashing it to 120, JAMB  would have retained the existing 180 cut-off.

Akujobi Amadi & Amarachi Anene