Students’ body says constituency was consulted and represented during committee formation
The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has responded to the controversy surrounding the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Committee on Life Skills and Critical Thinking, insisting that the student constituency was consulted and represented during the committee’s formation.
NANS also urged other student organisations to avoid what it described as jurisdictional overreach and refrain from issuing public statements without first establishing the relevant facts.
The statement followed a joint release by the National Association of University Students (NAUS), the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) and the National Association of Colleges of Education Students (NANCES), which alleged that student representation had been excluded from the newly inaugurated JAMB committee.
Dispute over student representation
The disagreement centres on the composition and mandate of the committee, which was established in connection with discussions around life skills and critical-thinking development.
While the three student organisations raised concerns about the absence of student representatives, NANS maintained that the student constituency was involved in the process.
The competing positions highlight the importance of transparent consultation when education authorities establish committees whose work may affect students across tertiary institutions.
NANS calls for fact-finding
NANS called on sister organisations to verify information before making public pronouncements, arguing that inaccurate statements could deepen divisions within the student movement.
The association’s position and the earlier joint statement should be considered separately until the membership records, consultation process and official terms of reference of the committee are made publicly available.
JAMB has yet to be independently confirmed as having issued a comprehensive public response addressing every aspect of the disagreement.
The controversy places renewed attention on the role of student organisations in education policy discussions and the need for meaningful representation in decisions affecting learners.