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Tag: Fabian Benjamin

  • JAMB begins registration for UTME 2018

    JAMB begins registration for UTME 2018

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board said it has begun registration for the 2018 unified tertiary matriculation examinations ( UTME ) registration.
     
    JAMB said the registration would take place in over 700 computer based test (CBT) centres in 36 states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
     
    The organization’s Head of Media, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, made the announcement in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.
     
    He said the exercise would end in February next year.
     
    Dr. Benjamin urged candidates to register within this time frame, noting that the board would not extend the registration period.
     
    The statement reads: “We will also want to state clearly that the board does not post candidates to any examination town other than the one chosen by the candidate at the point of registration. 
     
    “Candidates are, however, advised to register on time before the available spaces in their town of choice are exhausted.
     
    “The registration exercise started on Wednesday 6th December, 2017 and as at today so many candidates have text their names using their phone numbers to 55019 and got their profile registered. After which they equally proceeded to the CBT centres for registration. 
     
    “The exercise from our tour of centres today clearly showed that this is one of the best registration regime of the board in recent time. It is easy, smooth and hitch free. This system is simple and convenient, candidates are requested to do it themselves to avoid being defrauded by anybody.
     
    “Candidates can purchase the e -pins using their ATM or through Interswitch, Remita and other online platforms at the comfort of their homes.
     
    “The Board offices are available for any challenge encountered by candidate while trying to obtain the e -pin to register for the 2018 exercise.
     
    “Candidates who desire to register for the optional mock are also urged to do so as the platform will be withdrawn by the 30th of December, 2017 and only those who registered and indicated their interest on or before that time will be enlisted to participate. 
     
    “The board again reiterated its avowed commitment to conduct a hitch free examination and advance the cause of any Nigerian child desirous of qualitative tertiary education in the country. This is the beginning of the 2018 process.”
     
  • JAMB meets with ‘critical stakeholders’ to review UTME

    JAMB meets with ‘critical stakeholders’ to review UTME

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board ( JAMB ) says it will meet with “critical” stakeholders in education on Wednesday to appraise the general conduct of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination ( UTME ).

    JAMB spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, said this on Monday in Lagos that the meeting, scheduled to hold in Abuja, would brainstorm on the conduct of the examination and identify possible areas for review.

    Among the stakeholders expected at the meeting were Foreign Affairs Ministry officials, university lecturers, vice- chancellors and rectors of polytechnics, he said.

    “We are also expecting top media executives, state commissioners of education and heads of colleges of education.
    “Other stakeholders expected at the meeting are labour unions of Nigeria universities such as ASUU, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), among others,’’ he said.

    Benjamin said the board had held a similar meeting with owners of Computer Based Test (CBT) centres and administrators nationwide to appraise the registration and conduct of the 2017 UTME.

    The JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is’haq Oloyede, had during meeting with administrators of the CBT centres announced new measures that would further strengthen the integrity and general conduct of the examination.

    Oloyede had also banned the use of pens, wrist watches and other devices as part of the newly introduced measures for the 2018 UTME.

    According to him, experience has shown that some candidates were using the devices to perpetrate examination malpractices.

     No fewer than 617 centres had been accredited nationwide for the examination while 72 others waiting for approval.

    NAN

  • JAMB direct entry to close Sept. 15

    JAMB direct entry to close Sept. 15

    The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board ( JAMB ) says it will close the Direct Entry e-Registration portal on Sept.15.

    Dr Fabian Benjamin, the Head of Media and Information of the board, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.

    Benjamin advised candidates yet to register to do so before the deadline, saying that there might be no postponement of the deadline.

    He also advised JAMB candidates to re-upload their ‘O’ level results in the new portal as the previous portal did not allow for the capturing of candidates level of grades.

    He also said that candidates should use the approved Computer Based Test (CBT) Centres for the exercise.

    According to him, the new portal has provided a platform for the detailed category of the West African Examination Result ( WAEC ) of candidates for proper placement.

    “The first platform that was used for the exercise does not create room for the capturing of the levels of grade such as C4, C5, C6, B1, B2, B3 and A1.

    “ You know in some schools, all these ‘O’ level grades are being considered.

    “For example, if you have B1 and another one has B3 and there is no room for separation in the platform schools may not be able to ascertain the level of grades some schools will consider the O’ level grades.

    “And the first platform just stated A, B, C, so with this new platform, there will be room for the download of the level of grades. Somebody who has B1 will stand a better chance than the person with B3.

    “So, we use this new platform to capture all those detailed categories of WAEC result so that no grade of result will be left uploaded.’’

    Benjamin, however, said that any candidate who felt that what he or she uploaded before was enough might not bother.

  • Admission processes for 2017/2018 commence on Sept.15 – JAMB

    Admission processes for 2017/2018 commence on Sept.15 – JAMB

    The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says the admission processes for 2017/2018 will commence on Sept.15 and close on Jan.31, 2018.

    The Head of JAMB Information and Media, Dr Fabian Benjamin, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bwari, Abuja, on Friday.

    Benjamin said that the direct entry applications for admission would close Sept. 15.

    He explained that students could only secure admission after they might have passed through the rudiments of admission processes.

    “We have come up with Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) this year.

    “This entails that once candidates are admitted and the institution approves, then JAMB will approve, the information about the candidates will be keyed into CAPS automatically.

    “Candidates can monitor their admission process through CAPS online and those who want to get admission letter can do so by printing such online.’’

    According to him, CAPS will make record gathering easy and give easy access to students to print their admission letters among other things.

    “What we are trying to do now is that we are looking at the perimeter realistically; we decided to come up with new strategy aimed at ensuring the actual data.

    In a related development, Benjamin told NAN that the 120 minimum cut-off mark would not in any way affect the nation’s educational standard negatively as being alleged by some people.

    He said that the issue of the 120 cut-off mark was a policy of heads of tertiary institutions across the country, being the outcome of their policy meeting recently.

    “The cut off mark was not the decision of JAMB, but the heads of tertiary institutions at the policy meeting.

    “They decided that their institutions should be allowed to determine their own cut-off point based on their own peculiarities, but nobody for whatever reason should go below 120.

    Benjamin explained that the sustenance of post UTME was a ministerial decision.

    According to him, we are not opposed to the directive, we see nothing wrong with it, and our interest is to ensure that the goal of admission is achieved.

    “What we are all doing is to ensure that the power given to tertiary institutions is based on policies which established them.’’

    According to him, the important thing is for tertiary institutions to do what is right.

    He noted that most tertiary institutions did not comply with the previous 180 cut-off mark that was given last year.

  • We’ll not condone multiple registration for Direct Entry, UTME – JAMB

    We’ll not condone multiple registration for Direct Entry, UTME – JAMB

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says it will not condone multiple registration for Direct Entry and Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

    A statement signed by JAMB’s Head of Public Relations, Mr Fabian Benjamin said in Abuja on Sunday.

    Benjamin described the act of multiple registration as a serious offence in the process of obtaining the Board’s application forms  presently on sale.

    He said that the warning had become imperative for people to know and understand that violation of such rule would attract sanctions.

    “Candidates are to note that our advertisement for 2017 UTME clearly states the penalty for any candidate caught buying two forms.

    “Members of the public are requested to note that any candidate who indulges in double registration will be caught by our software and disqualified.

    “The Board is not interested in the candidates’ money as is being insinuated by certain group who suggested to the Board that such registration will enhance the revenue base of the Board.

    “No, we are more interested in the credibility of the examination and not the money, if money is our concern we will not be returning over five billion naira to the Federal Government coffers.’’

    Benjamin said this year, the Board had so far remitted more than five billion naira to government, the highest ever in the 40 years of its existence.

    He said that the money was saved through the transparent and judicious use of resources.

    Benjamin urged candidates to disregard all information on admission, especially cut-off marks being circulated on the net.

    According to him, the Board has established new method of admission in line with its mandate to ensure fairness irrespective of tribe, religion and it is determined to meet the expectations of Nigerians.

    The JAMB public relations officer said that the Board had held consultations with universities across the country to enable candidates meet the requirement and secure admission without the assistance of anybody.

    According to him, no cut-off mark has been arrived at as this can only be done at a policy meeting, which is at the moment yet to be conveyed.

    “Do not allow yourselves to be defrauded by internet fraudsters, the policy meeting would commence the 2017 admission with all mode, process and acceptable conditions for admission.

    “The Prof. Oloyede led management is working to ensure transparent, acceptable and fair admission process.

    “We have designed software known as Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), where human interference will be completely removed, to promote credibility.

    “The admission criteria would be keyed into the software and it will select candidates blindly according to the institutions requirement without any primordial consideration.’’

  • JAMB will not condone multiple registration for Direct Entry, UTME

    JAMB will not condone multiple registration for Direct Entry, UTME

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says it will not condone multiple registration for Direct Entry and Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

    A statement signed by JAMB’s Head of Public Relations, Mr Fabian Benjamin said in Abuja on Sunday.

    Benjamin described the act of multiple registration as a serious offence in the process of obtaining the Board’s application forms  presently on sale.

    He said that the warning had become imperative for people to know and understand that violation of such rule would attract sanctions.

    “Candidates are to note that our advertisement for 2017 UTME clearly states the penalty for any candidate caught buying two forms.

    “Members of the public are requested to note that any candidate who indulges in double registration will be caught by our software and disqualified.

    “The Board is not interested in the candidates’ money as is being insinuated by certain group who suggested to the Board that such registration will enhance the revenue base of the Board.

    “No, we are more interested in the credibility of the examination and not the money, if money is our concern we will not be returning over five billion naira to the Federal Government coffers.’’

    Benjamin said this year, the Board had so far remitted more than five billion naira to government, the highest ever in the 40 years of its existence.

    He said that the money was saved through the transparent and judicious use of resources.

    Benjamin urged candidates to disregard all information on admission, especially cut-off marks being circulated on the net.

    According to him, the Board has established new method of admission in line with its mandate to ensure fairness irrespective of tribe, religion and it is determined to meet the expectations of Nigerians.

    The JAMB public relations officer said that the Board had held consultations with universities across the country to enable candidates meet the requirement and secure admission without the assistance of anybody.

    According to him, no cut-off mark has been arrived at as this can only be done at a policy meeting, which is at the moment yet to be conveyed.

    “Do not allow yourselves to be defrauded by internet fraudsters, the policy meeting would commence the 2017 admission with all mode, process and acceptable conditions for admission.

    “The Prof. Oloyede led management is working to ensure transparent, acceptable and fair admission process.

    “We have designed software known as Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), where human interference will be completely removed, to promote credibility.

    “The admission criteria would be keyed into the software and it will select candidates blindly according to the institutions requirement without any primordial consideration.’’ (NAN)

  • JAMB begins sales of 2017 Direct Entry, foreign candidates’ forms July 10 – Official

    JAMB begins sales of 2017 Direct Entry, foreign candidates’ forms July 10 – Official

    The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) will begin the sale of the 2017 Direct Entry forms and registration of foreign candidates on July 10.

    JAMB’s Head of Public Relations Fabian Benjamin made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bwari, FCT, on Monday.

    Benjamin said the process of registration for the Direct Entry was spelt out in the just concluded Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

    He said that candidates for the Direct Entry were expected to have Advanced Level, Diploma or its equivalent, while foreign candidates must possess proof of residency abroad.

    “For the foreign candidates to be eligible to write examination in a foreign centre, you must have stayed in the foreign country for at least a minimum of six months.

    “You must have schooled there, you must have had your secondary education there; you must show evidence of having stayed there for period of six months.

    “If you have stayed in Nigeria and just fly to London to register, you are not eligible; you must have schooled or had your secondary education outside the country.

    “Not that you just finished Senior Secondary Certificate Examination in 2016, and you are rushing to the United Kingdom to go and write your examination,” Benjamin said.

    He noted that measures had been put in place to ensure that candidates who wrote the previous examination and failed were not registered in foreign countries, unless they meet the guideline.

    Benjamin explained that the Direct Entry would be sold at the same price previously pegged at N5,000, adding that the Board was yet to fix the price for application for  foreign candidates.

    “We are discussing on that, we are looking at selling the forms at $100 (N31,525.00) for Africans and $150 (N47,287.50) for non-Africans,” he said.

    He said that the JAMB Direct Entry was mainly for people who already possessed a diploma certificate and wished to do a programme in the university.

  • JAMB plans supplementary UTME for 85,000 candidates

    JAMB plans supplementary UTME for 85,000 candidates

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has fixed Saturday, July 1 to conduct supplementary Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for 85,000 candidates.

    The board’s Head, Media and Information, Dr Fabian Benjamin, announced the date in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja.

    According to him, the examination, which is for candidates who registered late and those with related issues, will be spread across some Computer Based Testing (CBT) centres.

    “Following an enlarged management meeting of the JAMB, the supplementary 2017 UTME has been fixed to hold on Saturday, July 1.

    “No fewer than 85,000 candidates are scheduled to write the examination.

    “Affected candidates have been notified through text messages.

    “By this notice, they are advised to check their e-mail and profile for the schedule of their examination or visit the board’s website for their status,’’ Benjamin said. .

    According to him, candidates will soon be requested to print their e-slip for details such as date, venue and time of the examination.

    The board noted that candidates, who are not listed for the supplementary, would not be communicated while those, whose results are withheld, would reflect in their profiles, which have been updated.

    The board  also advised rescheduled candidates to comport themselves and be of good behaviour to avoid the circumstance that earlier necessitated the cancellation of their previous examination.

    “Many of the candidates rescheduled for this examination enjoy this privilege because of the board’s principles of equality and inclusiveness.

    “It is better to let 100 offenders go free than to punish one innocent person.

    “The board will enhance its monitoring of the examination as it would not compromise its sanctity.”

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that  1.7 million candidates registered for the 2017 UTME in 633 centres across the country.

    The examination was conducted from May 13 to May 20 but the board  cancelled the results of more than  50,000 candidates.

    It also delisted 48 Computer Based Testing  centres over what was described as huge and organised malpractices.

  • JAMB will watch CCTV examination footages to sanction cheats – Spokesman

    JAMB will watch CCTV examination footages to sanction cheats – Spokesman

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says it will watch recordings of proceedings in its Closed Circuit Camera Televisions (CCTVs) during the just-concluded Universal Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

    The board’s Head, Media and Information, Dr Fabian Benjamin, said in a statement on Sunday in Lagos that such would enable it to detect where there actually examination malpractices.

    According to Benjamin, where there is any semblance of irregularities, the board will not hesitate to do the needful, that is, sanction the cheats.

    “Those who know they were involved in any acts inimical to our examination ethics should not celebrate as their inglorious days of punishment will soon surface.

    “Again, we want to seize this opportunity to debunk messages being circulated by those who do not wish our education well that the Senate has passed a bill urging the board to add extra 40 marks to candidates.

    “There is no bill anywhere, not even a motion has been tabled before the two chambers of the National Assembly on the board’s 2017 UTME performance,” the statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said.

    “The board wants to state for the umpteenth time that our examination is not a ‘fail pass’ examination; it is a selection examination, so, it can never be said that there is mass failure.

    “It will be absolutely wrong for mischief makers to begin to analyse an examination that has just been concluded without even looking at the overall result.

    “We urge candidates to disregard all funny connotations online on their results as the board will not contemplate doing all that is being speculated as that will negate the ethics of an examination body as critical as JAMB.’’

    It added that the board’s major concern had always been to ensure that cheating during and after examination were reduced to zero level, and this, he said, the board had substantially achieved.

    It also noted that in order to ensure that the 2017 UTME met international best standards of transparency, the Registrar had constituted a taskforce with the mandate to examine the entire conduct of the examination

    The statement said the taskforce was expected to look at the fortification processes done by the board, identify areas of loopholes in various centres if any and consider cases that would require urgent action, especially those involving candidates.

    According to the statement, the taskforce is also expected to investigate malpractice cases and recommend likely sanctions in accordance with the provisions of the Examination Malpractice Act.

    “One of the likely benefits of this taskforce which has renowned scholars and management staff is to ensure that it identified challenges to be addressed so that they don’t occur subsequently.

    “The board is determined to ensure equity and fairness to all candidates and will not hesitate to allow the weight of the law to deal with whoever is involved in any infraction,” it said.

     

  • 321 visually impaired candidates to take 2017 UTME

    321 visually impaired candidates to take 2017 UTME

    The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) said it has registered 321 visually impaired candidates for the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

    The Head, JAMB Information and Media, Dr Fabian Benjamin, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday  in Bwari.

    Benjamin said that the figure was higher than the 201 candidates registered for the examination in 2016.

    He said that adequate arrangement has been made for the visually impaired candidates to participate fully in the forthcoming UTME.

    According to him, the board used to  conduct the Computer Based Test (CBT) using Braille Apex Machine, but most of them complained about its usage.

    “They said they do not know how to use these machines: we are going to bring all visually impaired persons to come and write the exam in a particular location.

    “It could be Digital Bridge in Lagos or Digital Bridge in Abuja.

    “One of the things we have always done for them is to ensure that the few of them that meet the minimum requirement get it.

    “We encourage universities to admit them; we also give them courses that they want to read, so that we can give room for inclusiveness.

    “So that is our preparation as it relates to visually impaired candidates; they are 321 that is 18 per cent of the 1.7 million candidates that registered for this year’s UTME,” the JAMB’s spokesman said.

    The visually impaired candidates who sat for the 2015/2016 UTME practiced with the Braille Apex machine at their respective centres a day before the main examination.

    The practice was also done in the 2015 edition of the UTME through the use of CBT platform.

    He explained that the Board often encourage universities to offer admission to visually impaired candidates who met the basic requirement, saying that 2017 will not  be  an exception.

    Benjamin said  plans were underway to employ the services of experts in the field of education, to be able to achieve the desired goal.

    “We will get some of Nigeria’s best hands in some of those various subjects that they are going to write; these are professors, and people with integrity.

    “They will sit down together with the visually impaired candidates; ask the candidates questions, assess them and then rate them, so it is that rating that will be used for admission purposes.”

    On preparation to hold the UTME on May 13, he said all hands were on  deck to conduct a hitch free exercise.

    He noted that the Board did not receive any complaint about irregularity in the course of registration of candidates, as being alleged in certain quarters.

    “There is no complaint from anybody; we have passed the stage of registration, we registered 1.7 million candidates, so if there are issues, we will not have arrived at that number.

    “The hitches that we had were experienced at the initial stage of registration, which was basically as a result of non-compliance with our instruction.

    “We have made necessary effort to ensure that those instructions are adhered to, there is no complain as regards registration again across the country,” he added.

    He, however, said that the posting of candidates to their various examination centers would start from Tuesday May 9.