Meaning of IEI In My JAMB Choice of Schools

While filling out your forms for JAMB UTME, one of the available choices is the Innovation Enterprise Institutions. Apart from the universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, candidates seeking admissions will still be required to choose one of the available Innovation Enterprise Institutions (IEI).

So what's an IEI? What's the primary purpose of attending one? Is it the right choice for you? How many of them do we have in Nigeria and their locations? If offered admission by an IEI, should you accept it? Who owns IEI? What qualifications/certificates do they award?

These and more are questions this post means to answer.

Background of Starting the Innovation Enterprise Institutions (IEI)

It's apparent that our universities, polytechnics and colleges of education are not enough to accommodate the number of secondary school leavers and admission seekers yearly.

Also, the participation of the private sector in education is not competitive at the tertiary level due to the lack of enough resources to be accredited for private universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.

As a result, there is a need to bring up a new set of higher institutions of learning to accommodate more admission seekers and allow private individuals/organizations, with limited but adequate resources to participate in tertiary education. This is the genesis of the innovation enterprise institutions.

These institutions also include those that give Vocational Education and Training. With IEI, you have access to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and will be able to serve the needs of the industry and self-empowerment.

Who is Qualified to Be Admitted Into Innovation Enterprise Institutions

Generally, there is no difference between those who are qualified for other higher institutions in Nigeria and those that are qualified to be admitted into any of the available IEIs. Once you're a secondary school leaver, you're qualified for an IEI like you are for any university, polytechnic, college of education, school of nursing or college of health technology.

In summary, with any or a combination of any two of the following SSCE results, you're qualified to attend any Innovation Enterprise Institution of your choice.

1. West African Examinations Council (WAEC)
2. National Examination Council (NECO)
3. National Business and Technical Examinations (NABTEB)
4. General Certificate of Education (GCE) (perhaps WAEC GCE, NECO GCE or NABTEB GCE)

Making the required SSCE subjects is very important to all IEIs as it's to all other higher institutions of learning. However, there can be more wavers for some deficiencies, where avoidable, by the innovation enterprise institutions.

However, it is required of any admission seeker into a full-time programme, to obtain, sit for and pass the UTME. Hence, if you still want to go for an IEI, for a full-time course,, you should be ready for JAMB too. Those who wish to consider part-time courses won't need JAMB.

So, IEIs are for:

1. School leavers who wish to acquire demonstrable practical skills to secure employment or generate employment
2. Persons seeking career paths that do not need university degrees
3. Persons without time for full-time study but want to enhance their skills
4. Persons wishing to go into self-employment
5. University graduates seeking employable skills and
6. Adults seeking opportunities to re-skill themselves

How Long is IEI Education, What's the Qualification?

You must have known that once done with a university education (degree) you'll have a Bachelor of Science (BSC) or any of its equivalent. If you're done with a polytechnic, you have National Diploma (ND) or HND after that. With a college of education, what you have is Nigeria Certificate In Education (NCE). But with an Innovation Enterprise Institution education, what will be your qualification?

Recommended: BSC, HND, OND, NCE, A'level: What are the Differences?

It's safe to say that Innovation Enterprise Institutions are synonymous with polytechnics or monotechnics. This is because, in the end, their qualifications and certifications are equivalent. 

IEIs run diploma programmes full-time (2 years) or part-time (3-4 years). The curricula are in modules on employable skills. The qualification given by the IEIs is called The National Innovative Diploma (NID).

After your NID, you can proceed with HND as a few polytechnics are considering that for their Higher National Diploma (HND) just like the National Diploma (ND).

However, with NID, you can't obtain the JAMB Direct entry form to process admission into any accepting university for the same or similar course.

Are All Innovation Enterprise Institutions Private?

It's easy to assume that all IEIs will be owned by private individuals or organizations having stated that it was started to encourage private participation in tertiary education.

However, that's not true. A majority of IEIs are privately owned, but we still have a handful of them that are owned by federal and state governments.

For example, Digital Bridge Institute, Kano, Digital Bridge Institute, Lagos, Industrial Training Fund(ITF) Models Skills Training Centre, Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Maitama, Abuja, NAOWA Institute of Management and Technology, Asokoro, Abuja etc are federal-owned. 

While, Nigeria–Korea Friendship Institute of Vocational and Advanced Technology,Lokoja, Kogi State, Gateway Industrial Petrogas Institute, Oni, Ogun State, International Vocational Technical Entrepreneurship Centre (IVTECH) Ajase-Ipo, Kwara State, etc. are state-owned.

Below is the list of available Innovation Enterprise Institutions in Nigeria.

1. Literacy College Of Mgt And Tech(Formerly The Literacy Centre), Aba, Abia State
2. Cornerstone Institute Of Management And Technolgy, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State
3. Foundation College Of Technology, Ikot Idem, Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State
4. Ibom Institute Of Management And Technology, Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State
5. Imfi, Ict Academy, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State
6. Maurid Institute Of Mgt And Tech, Mbiaso, Akwa Ibom State
7. Merchant Seaman Academy, Ikot Adauto Essien Academy, Akwa Ibom State
8. Niit-Uyo Centre, Akwa Ibom State
9. Peace Institute Of Management Technology, Abak, Akwa Ibom State
10. Buckingham Academy Of Management And Technology, Ogidi, Anambra State
11. Onit Institute Of Technology, Mbaukwu, Anambra State
12. St. Rita Innovation Institute, Onitsha, Anambra State
13. College Of Science And Technology, Osuofia, Anambra State
14. Glory Land Institute Of Management, Ankpa, Kogi State
15. Nigeria-Korea Friendship Inst. Of Vocational & Advanced Tech, Lokoja, Kogi State
16. Ambassador College Of Management And Tech, Port Harcourt, Rivers State
17. Bonny Vocational Centre, Island, Rivers State
18. Centre For Creative Arts Education, Port Harcourt, Rivers State
19. Homik Oil And Gas Facility Engineering School, Port Harcourt, Rivers State
20. Laser Petroleum Geo-Sciences Centre, Port Harcourt, Rivers State
21. Magic Brush Film School, Port Harcourt, Rivers State
22. Uptonville Oil And Gas Institute, Port Harcourt, Rivers State
23. Conarina Maritime Academy, Oria, Abraka, Delta State
24. Global Maritime Academy, Ogoni-Olomu, Ughelli South, Delta State
25. Izisco Obos Institute Of Maritime Studies And Technology, Warri, Delta State
26. Nation Builders College Of Technology, Asaba, Delta State
27. Niit-Warri Centre, Effurun, Delta State
28. Rolof Computer Academy, Warri, Delta State
29. The Film And Broadcast Academy Westin Hall, Delta State
30. Yefmadec Institute Of Science And Technology, Mosogar, Delta State
31. The School Of Information And Media Technology, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State
32. Umuebe Farm College, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State
33. Benson Idahosa School Of Basic And Applied Studies, Benin City, Edo State
34. Central Institute Of Business And Technology, Egba, Edo State
35. And other 138 Innovation Enterprise Institutions across the country.

While Choosing Institutions in JAMB UTME, a IEI is a Must

When filling out your JAMB form, you'll be forced to choose one Innovation Enterprise Institution. The same is your fate when changing institutions and/or courses. 

In other words, by default, a CBT centre will select one of the available IEIs for you even if you don't know what they are or you don't want one.

As a result, you may be wondering what they are. They're usually the institutions in the fourth choice position of the lists of institutions in JAMB.

If interested, or if that's what your UTME score is appropriate for, you can go for it. With that, you'll obtain their post UTME/entrance form and be admitted. 

IEI admission is the easiest among all the available institutions for JAMB. This is because they can easily wave some O'level result deficiencies for you, especially where the subject may be compulsory for schools such as universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and others. And they usually will accept the base cut-off mark as announced by JAMB e.g. 100/110.

However, even if you don't obtain their post UTME/entrance forms, some of these IEI may contact you (even if you didn't consider a particular one in JAMB) by SMS or email to let you know that they've offered you admission or they're ready to. 

Here, they may just ask you to visit the school to start the process or print an admission letter on their website. They may as well instruct you to change them to your first choice on the JAMB portal, to begin with.

Conclusion

In all, you can now understand what an IEI is, how you can process their admissions, if attended, what you stand to gain in the end and much more.

I won't discourage you to attend an Innovation Enterprise Institution if you will go for a good course with a better future, and career prospects. It's wiser if the course will prepare you for self-reliance and entrepreneurship. Most importantly, you should be really ready for that kind of future.

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