The Nation Newspaper

Tag: JAMB

  • FG approves eight CBT centres for JAMB

    The Federal Government has approved the construction of eight Computer Based Test (CBT) centers in eight states ahead of next year Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME)

    According to Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) , Professor Dibu Ojerinde, the Federal Government has approved the construction of the centers in four states in the North and four in the South.

    Professor Ojerinde who disclosed this to journalists in Abuja at the weekend during the monitoring of the examination on its last day alongside the Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau said government was determined to reduce the number of days the examination took this year and other challenges.

    The CBT centers which he explained would house about 270 computer systems would be sited in Kano, Oyo, Niger, Bayelsa and four other states.

    Over one million candidates across 400 centers in Nigeria and eight other countries sat for this year UTME which commenced on March 10 and ended on March 21.

    “Nigerians should expect more centers next year. It is not going to last this long and like the Honourable Minister has said, the federal government has ordered that centers should be built for us.

    “As of today, eight have been ordered in eight states which would be big as what we have here and it would carry at least 270 systems. You would expect those centers in Kano, Oyo, Bayelsa, Niger states. In fact, four in the South and four in the North,” Ojerinde said

    Speaking on the CBT, Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau expressed government’s satisfaction with the conduct of the examination which according to him has taken Nigerian to modernity and global trend in the education sector.

  • JAMB oh JAMB!

    For an examination written just once in a year, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) ought to do more to address the anomalies registered during the course of the 2015 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

    The examination was migrated to the online platform completely this year.  Unlike last year, when candidates had two other options – the Paper and Pencil Test (PPT), and the Dual-Based Test (DBT), this year, only the Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode was available.

    When the JAMB Registrar, Prof ‘Dibu Ojerinde announced in November 2012 that the country would migrate to the CBT platform by 2015, few thought it possible.  The CBT mode was first used for the UTME in 2013.  Then, just a few thousands, who were compelled by the ‘unavailability’ of PPT centres, registered for the examination.  Last year, a larger number had to register for the CBT and DBT because the numbers of PPT centres were drastically reduced.

    Ahead of this year’s examination, which is a landmark year given that the examining body plans to bid farewell to PPT forever, JAMB assured Nigerians that the 400 centres it had accredited for the CBT mode had all it takes to deliver the examinations hitch free.  It even de-accredited cyber cafes from registering candidates for the examination.  The CBT centres took care of the registration.  To be accredited, they had to provide up to 150 computers, alternative power supply, security, thumbprint scanners, and internet access, among others.   Alas, when the examination started last Monday, the rate of system failure showed that JAMB’s accreditation process must have been faulty.

    In many centres, the computers suddenly went off; and when they came on minutes later, the candidates were told they had submitted when in reality they had not finished.  Another scenario was for the computers to come back on and the candidates found that their time had been running all the time it took for the technicians to figure out what was wrong.

    Another problem was with the three-sessions-per-day schedule that JAMB prepared to complete the examination for over one million candidates in 10 days.  It was a very unfriendly schedule.  When I learn that the first session was for 6am, I thought that was not just possible – that the time was rather for arrival so the examination could start by 8am.  However, JAMB actually expected the examinations to take place by that time.  It did not work.  For many centres, the examination was delayed for up to four hours.  This was sad because after candidates must have made so much sacrifice to get to the centre so early, their effort was not rewarded but punished with a long wait.

    What of the problem of computer illiteracy?  This is the ICT age, we know, but what percentage of our populace is ICT-literate?  In the cities, computer literacy is not such an issue.  Young people have access to the internet because cyber cafes dot the metropolis and browsing time is quite affordable.  There are also more opportunities for ICT training in the urban centres than in the hinterlands where funding, power, and facilities are almost non-existent, or where they are, moribund.  Investigations by our correspondents revealed that many candidates from the north were greatly disadvantaged because of the CBT.  Though simple to use, their lack of exposure to ICT posed a challenge for them.  It must have been quite intimidating for candidates to use the computer for the first time to write a major examination.

    Frankly, JAMB should have waited a few more years to go fully online.  Like one parent noted, it is not just about releasing results early but also ensuring that the candidates had the opportunity to write the examination to the best of their ability in a conducive environment so they can perform well.  Indeed, what is the point releasing results in two hours and the performance is unimpressive?

    JAMB has to do something about all the complaints that have been recorded nationwide, which are not the fault of the candidates.  One year is a very long time to wait to write another UTME.  These candidates deserve greater respect than they got.  They are not just a statistic; they are humans – with dreams and hopes.  Those candidates who were forced to stop the examination before time, or write under duress after waiting for days, or not write at all because of distance and the like deserve a second chance.

    Sadly, JAMB’s record of responding to complaints is not too good.  The examining body exists to make the conduct of the UTME flawless.  The welfare and concerns of each of the over one million candidates should matter to the authorities.  I implore JAMB to act fast and act right!

  • Students decry JAMB Computer Based Test

    Students decry JAMB Computer Based Test

    Students participating in the ongoing Joint Admission Matriculation examinations (JAMB) and Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) have called on the examination body to review the use of computers due to poor networks and slow servers.

    According to Taofiq Oladimeji, who lamented the situation, students were unable to attempt enough questions due to insufficient time allowed and poor network system.

    “JAMB registrar Prof. Dibu Ojerinde and supervisor of Universal White Hall College, Mrs. Temilola Adeliyi and all other Computer Based Test (CBT) centres must do something about this,” he said.

    Oladimeji observed that students at the said examination centre were allowed only 45 minutes to write 4 papers instead of 3 hours and 45 minutes.

    According to him: “There should be a retake or cancellation of the ongoing CBT examinations because the centre’s server was very slow and there was

    constant shut-down of the whole computers during the examination due to drag in the network or malfunctioning of the computers.

    “As a result of that, the students couldn’t answer their questions and they were told to leave.”

    Similarly, another situation was reported at the Chamcity centre on Isaac John Street, Ikeja GRA area of Lagos state.

    It was reported that there students had to wait for long hours and were worn out as at the time they were to sit for the examination.

    A female student who simply identified as Bisola told The Nation that students whose examination was slated for 6am could not do the examination until 10am.

    “There were many computers at our centre but they were still not enough and the network was not supportive,” she recounted.

    Bisola’s examination that was to take over 3hours to write was delayed for about 8hours – from 10am till 6pm in the evening.

    “I just did what I could because I was tired as at that time that they said we should come in for the examination,” she lamented.

    She called on the examination body to improve the use of computers, locations and examination timing especially for young students who were given examination centres far from their home states.

    Read the following responses from Twitter users:

    @TheNationNews Do you know any student who wrote 2015 JAMB? How far are the examination centres from their homes and what do you think about the distance?

     

    Responses: Kemi O-Olunloyo @HNNAfrica Yes!! Too far, nothing is proactive anymore in this country. If you are gonna send them for NYSC, everyone near home too.

    Okoro Dennis @gentledenniz To be honest the distance is very far

    Garun Malam @gmyusuff jamb should stop all this crap, suffering our children making them travel far for exams. Writing exams as early as 6 a.m

    owoade olaoluwa @olaolu_1 My cousin wrote hers in OAU Ife and she reside in Lagos. That’s too far. Is it d insuficient system in lagos dat caused it?

    #GMB15/Prince SSL. @Princemeek19 Its hellish, my younger brother is based in lagos, but had to travel to ile-ife, Osun state to write his exams. Not easy.

    Ekpo @EKPONSI I know one, she lives in Lagos Island and wrote the JAMB exams in an outskirt of Ijebu Ode. She had to go sleep in a hotel

    Ayomide Easyrel Aina @hayomideey I wrote mine yesterday and my centre is not far.My centre is in oshodi but there I meet somstudent who came 4rm a far distanc

    Ubong @ubongabasi_ Yup! My friend has to travel from Calabar South LGA in Cross River State to his center at Ebonyi State. Outrageous! #JAMB2015

    Ubong @ubongabasi_ …that’s over three hours drive!!! :@ :@ :@ from Calabar to Ebonyi

    Onaolapo Funmibi @Funmibi4real1 Yes my younger sibling did d exam. His center is too far 2 where he resides. I think Jamb need 2 encourage more CBT centers.

  • JAMB: Students seek improved computer-based examination

    JAMB: Students seek improved computer-based examination

    Some students in Enugu State who participated in the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) have called for improved system to handle lapses in the examination.

    Some of them, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Thursday, regretted that they were given subjects contrary to their choice during the registration.

    Miss Adaeze Iwu, who took the examination at the Godfrey Okoye University, Ugwuomu Nike, said she was forced to write a subject contrary to what she filled during the registration.

    “I registered Christian Religious Studies (CRS) as one of the subjects for the examination but to my utmost surprise, when I logged in to start my exams, I saw economics in place of CRS.

    “Though I guessed to answer the questions, I was not satisfied with the exams because I dropped economics at my senior secondary class 2.

    “I am not sure that I will make a good grade in the exam,’’ Iwu said.

    Another student, Samuel Mfon, who wrote at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, appealed to JAMB to provide more computers in order to improve the Computer-Based Test (CBT) system in the interest of participants.

    “I like the idea of releasing the results immediately but they should improve the system. We had three batches that wrote the examination today due to lack of computers,’’ Mfon said.

    Mfon also complained that he was given CRS to write in place of economics, and urged the board to address the problem immediately.

    Chidiebere Ibe, who wrote at the Prince Computer School in Nsukka, complained that the examination started three hours ahead of time.

    “I came from Enugu town since 9 a.m., to write my examination which was scheduled for 1.30 p.m., but to my surprise, we started around 3.30 p.m.

    “I do not have any relation in Nsukka. JAMB should try as much as they can to keep to time.

    “JAMB should make the CBT system to be optional. I do not think we have gotten to the stage of using only computers to write exams,’’ Ibe said.

    An official of JAMB, who preferred anonymity, expressed optimism that the system would improve over time.

    The official, who expressed regrets over the development, said the system had reduced examination malpractices.

    The official appealed to students to exercise patience with the system as the board was doing everything to make it faultless.

    NAN reports that the examination which is ongoing would end on March 21.

  • JAMB shifts Ikoyi Prisons exams to March 17

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) yesterday shifted the 2015 Computer-Based Test (CBT) for Ikoyi Prisons inmates.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 28 inmates are among candidates scheduled to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in 400 centres nationwide.

    Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Public Relations Officer (PRO), told NAN on telephone that the postponement of the test was to ensure effective monitoring.

    He said all logistics to ensure the successful conduct of the examination at the prison had, however, been put in place, adding that it would now hold on March 17.

    Benjamin said reports reaching the board showed that no hitches had been recorded at other centres in Lagos.

    He said over 1.4 million candidates are participating in this year’s examination, which is fully computer-based.

    Deputy Controller of Prisons Ikoyi Prisons, Mr Aliyub Usman, told NAN that the 28 candidates writing the examination were ready to go.

    He said that before the news of the postponement reached the prisons, the candidates were all seated in the hall fully prepared, only to be told that the examination would no longer hold.

    According to him, the inmates are not deterred by the postponement as they are focused and determined to excel.

  • JAMB applicants

    JAMB applicants

    JAMB APPLICANTS QUEUING TO PRINT THEIR EXAMINATION CENTRES AT THE JAMB OFFICE IN DUTSE ON TUESDAY
    JAMB APPLICANTS QUEUING TO PRINT THEIR
    EXAMINATION CENTRES AT THE JAMB OFFICE IN DUTSE ON
    TUESDAY

  • 50 protesting JAMB candidates arrested

    The Benue Police Command on Monday arrested 50 candidates of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for violent protests and stoning of security officials.

    The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Hyacinth Dagala, said the police intervened to prevent breakdown of law and order when the candidates started throwing stones at JAMB officials.

    According to him, the stones injured one of the security guards and a police officer attached to the office.

    “The candidates numbering over 300 today approached the JAMB Zonal Office in Makurdi and demanded their printouts.

    “The Jamb officials pleaded with them to come back after one hour for their Jamb slips, but that they refused and started throwing stones at the officials and security operatives.

    “They injured one police officer, a security guard and some women who were selling food around the office and also burnt tyres on the road,” the commissioner said.

    Dagala said the police rushed to the scene and arrested 50 of the protesters in order to calm the situation

  • How JAMB results can be valid for more years, by Ojerinde

    How JAMB results can be valid for more years, by Ojerinde

    THE Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, explained yesterday that the result of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) could be valid for two years, if there was aptitude test.

    The JAMB boss spoke in Abuja at the 11th seminar of Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).

    He noted that the aptitude test was different from achievement test, adding: “Achievement test is what we are doing now. We have a syllabus.”

    Ojerinde said JAMB had secured 375 centres for next year’s UTME, adding that government was planning to give the board 109 additional centres.

    He noted that last year, JAMB used 156 centres to conduct the UTME.

    Ojerinde said in the nearest future, JAMB would use Iris of the eye to verify candidates.

    “In two years time, everywhere in Nigeria will be full of centres. Very soon, UTME examinations will be done individually between January and December,” the JAMB boss said.

    He lamented that some universities were not using the JAMB album sent to them to verify candidates given admission letters.

    He noted that candidates were losing billions of naira yearly for not filling forms properly.

    He warned: “Parents should also stop hiring mercenaries to write examinations for their wards. Some candidates hide exhibits in private parts.”

    ICPC Chairman Ekpo Nta said security operatives alone could not fight corruption, adding that all hands must be on deck to do the right thing and report corrupt activities.

    He said the forum derived its legal framework from section 6 (b-f) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000, which empowers the commission to prevent corruption through system studies and reviews of government agencies.

  • Delta youths blast JAMB over stoppage of online registration agents

    Delta youths blast JAMB over stoppage of online registration agents

    A group, Delta State League of Online Registration Agents, stormed the Delta State office of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) last week, protesting the ‘arbitrary withdrawal of online registration agents’.

    They said the new JAMB registration procedure would be difficult for prospective applicants for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

    The protesters who barricaded the premises of the exam body later marched on to the Delta State House of Assembly and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).

    Spokesman for the group, Frederick Omene, said over 30 registration centres in the state were blacklisted as a result of the recent pronouncement by JAMB.

    Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force had a hectic time forcing the protesters out of the JAMB premises, urging them to channel their grievances through the Federal Ministry of Education.

    Mr Omene, said the agents were duly registered with N10, 000 and authorised by JAMB before they were given access code to operate as online registration agents of JAMB.

    Said Omene: “JAMB gave us conditions to register students for the exam, we were told to buy some machines which we bought for N30,000. Later, they came again that we should pay N10, 000 for accreditation for them to give access code as authorised agents. Then JAMB sent email to all the centres as authorisation to register the students.

    He added: “We have regularly complied with their decisions over the years. We’ve been in this business for long. Some of us are graduates, we have families which we take care of from the business. Now JAMB is trying to take food from our mouth. Besides that, it will pose serious challenge to students in rural and riverine communities to travel from villages to queue up in only two centres in the state to wait for JAMB registration. This is absurd and unacceptable to us”.

    He said JAMB has approved only two centres in the entire Delta State which will only be operated by JAMB officials in the state.

    Omene said the decision would subject students living in rural communities to travel from villages to the two Computer-Based Centres (CBC) in the state to register for the examination

    Continuing he said: “It’s not possible. When we got to one of the two centres, out of four students we met there, only one was able to register because many of them do not know how to operate the system and download the form. Having failed to register, they were sent home.

    “We want JAMB to go back to what it was before. It was people who are registered agents that paid the N10, 000 that have been doing the registration but now they are trying to cut us out of the business. They are saying we are no more recognised.

    “We paid accreditation money before we were authorised. We followed necessary procedure. Now they are saying they want to do it themselves.  By this decision, they are making us jobless.

    “If they do not listen to us we will go to Abuja. That is why we are here and they don’t want to attend to us. You see the gate is locked. They don’t want to address us. This policy is rubbish. They are taking us back to poverty because that is the job many of us are into, and from there we take care of our families”.

  • Group promises JAMB forms to students

    Group promises JAMB forms to students

    A group, Reality Campaign Organisation (RECOON), has promised to donate 150 JAMB forms to each of 36 states, including Abuja in the next JAMB registration.

    The group said the idea was part of RECOON/Jonathan Education Support Programme, which has assisted indigent students over the last four years.

    The National President of the group, Kennedy O. Kennedy, made this declaration in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital while receiving 6,800 youths who completed their training in various skills.

    Congratulating the youth, Kennedy said the only way the organisation could reciprocate the gesture of their brilliant performances is to do more by making arrangement to purchase 150 JAMB forms each to indigent students in various states of the federation.

    He said the objective of the organisation was to add value to humanity by delivering good governance to all.

    He noted that the organisation was partnering with various ICT centres to train youths in the next phase of youth empowerment which the group said will begin by July, next year.

    “We want to thank youths who have completed their training in various departments of skill acquisition, let me state it here that the money we are spending is not given by any political party or politicians, it is from our pockets.

    “Though we maintain co-operation with political parties, acknowledge individual and professional bodies as well as NGO’s with similar vision, we are also sensitising youths on peaceful co-existence during and after the election.

    “We have also taken the responsibility of buying 150 JAMB forms each to students in various states in the next JAMB registration.  Our next move is to partner with multinational technology companies to train fresh graduates under technology policy transfer,” he added.