The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME)

  • NUC: Only 30 per cent UTME candidates will be admitted this year

    NUC: Only 30 per cent UTME candidates will be admitted this year

    As a result of the limited spaces in tertiary institutions, only 30 per cent out of the 1.7 million candidates who wrote the unified tertiary matriculation examination (UTME) will be admitted this year, Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, has said.

    Prof. Rasheed said this at a one day public hearing on the regulatory conflict between JAMB and universities in offering admission in Nigeria.

    The hearing was organized by Senate committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund on Tuesday.

    The NUC boss said the limited spaces in tertiary institutions have made admission crisis inevitable in Nigeria.

    According to him, the only way to avert admission crisis in the country is to either expand access or create more universities to accommodate students.

    “The crisis of admission in this country inevitable. Unless we expand spaces we shall continue to have admission crisis in this country.

    “Every exam has its own problem. We believe JAMB exam is credible and all of us operating in the system respect the results of JAMB exam,” he said.

    JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede said there was no conflict between JAMB and universities.

    Prof. Oloyede said most of the candidates who sit for its examination annually do not have the required qualification to gain admission.

    He said: “It is not true that we have 1.7 million candidates that are ready to go into the Nigerian university system. Of the 1.7 million that took the exam I can say conveniently that not more than 30 per cent of them are not prepared for admission, they are just trying. They do not have the five O level required to go into the university.

    “Secondly, let me also let us realize that 10 per cent of the 1.7 million that we see or 1.9 as the case may be they are not what can be categorized as belong to the net enrolment ratio for entering tertiary education. They belong to the gross enrolment ratio.

    “80 per cent of candidates sitting at the point of sitting do not have the O level at all. They are awaiting results. So when we are building our theories and analysis, we need to be very cautious.

    “If you score 400 over 400 if you do not have the five O level you cannot come into the university. The basic qualification is the five O level.”

     

     

  • 120 UTME cut-off mark will encourage indolence – NANS

    120 UTME cut-off mark will encourage indolence – NANS

    The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has condemned the recent downward review of cut-off marks for admission into tertiary institutions.

    The President of NANS, Mr Chinonso Obasi in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, said that such downward review of cut-off marks would encourage indolence among candidates.

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) had at a stakeholders’ meeting on Aug. 22, reviewed downward the cut-off marks for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

    The minimum cut off marks for admissions into universities was fixed at 120; polytechnics and colleges of education pegged at 100, while that of innovative enterprising institutes was fixed at 110.

    The stakeholders said that institutions were at liberty to raise their cut off marks for admission above the minimum set by JAMB.

    Obasi, however, argued that knowledge acquisition was a function of determination and hard work, adding aspiring students should not be encouraged to relapse into laziness.

    “If over the years, students were able to work hard to meet cut off points, it does not make any logical sense to now lower the standard.

    “The inability of any student to meet the cut-off points is a function of outright indolence that should not be encouraged.

    “The general impression is that Nigerian graduates are not employable; therefore, lowering of standard will translate to a disastrous outcome in the future by churning out young people who cannot fit into the demands and expectations of the 21st century.

    “Nigerian youths are intelligent and willing to learn but because of the enabling environment provided by tertiary institutions abroad, Nigerian students who attend school abroad always break records,’’ he said.

    Obasi said that the 21st Century was driven by innovation and competitiveness, adding that lowering the entering level into tertiary institutions would kill young peoples’ zeal to step up performance.

    The NANS president said that the challenges of the tertiary institutions in Nigeria were beyond the prospects of gaining admission.

    He listed some of the challenges facing higher education as lack of modern day teaching facilities, low level of morale by the teaching staff, lack of adequate facilities and lack of enabling environment for effective learning.

    Obasi urged concerned authorities to conduct a comparative study and analysis of policies from other climes that support functional learning in order to produce young people who would be globally competitive.

  • SDG: 222 girls get scholarship

    SDG: 222 girls get scholarship

    A total of 222 girls have been offered a scholarship to study in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions under Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Female Special Scholarship Awards, Federal Ministry of Education has said.

    The Acting Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Adamu Hussaini, stated this in a statement in Abuja on Monday, by the ministry’s Press Officer, Mr Agidike Onu.

    Hussaini said that 338 candidates participated in the selection process.

    He said that the award was the effort by the Federal Government towards achieving Goals 4 of the SDGs tagged ” Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women” by the year 2030 and beyond.

    According to him, the Federal Ministry of Education will continue to build on the achievements of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2000-2015 which made gender equality a top priority.

    Hussaini also assured that the ministry would not relent in its efforts to end the discrimination against women and girls.

    He urged states and local governments in the country to key into the programme to afford Nigerian girls the opportunity of quality education.

    Earlier, the Deputy Director, Nigerian Award, Federal Scholarship Board, Mr Prinzo Nwanyadimo, said that the awardees were nominated by an Inter-Ministerial Committee in February 2017.

    He said the nominations were based on the performances of the candidates in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

    Nwanyadimo explained that awardees must be in public tertiary institutions, with emphasis on nursing, medicine, laboratory science, law, technical and vocational education courses.

    “Each state was awarded two slots for the university while GEP states got four slots each in Polytechnic and Colleges of Education,” he said.

  • 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 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.

  • 2017 UTME: 48 CBT centres blacklisted for malpractice

    2017 UTME: 48 CBT centres blacklisted for malpractice

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has blacklisted 48 Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres over their involvement in extortion and organised examination malpractices during the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

    JAMB’s Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, made the disclosure on Wednesday in Abuja at a news conference at the end of an enlarged meeting with external examiners and other stakeholders in the conduct of the 2017 UTME.

    Oloyede, who also announced the cancellation of the results of 59,698 candidates who sat for the examination, said another 24 CBT centres had been suspended for one year for failing to live up to expectations.

    “The (24 CBT) centres will not participate in the 2018 UTME, but they can be reconsidered for 2019 and above.

    “The delisting of 48 centres from participating in the board’s examination in future is as a result of serious technical deficiencies, extortion, organised examination malpractices and other damaging infractions.”

    He said that JAMB had fixed July 1, 2017 as the date for supplementary examination for candidates who registered late for this year’s UTME.

    Oloyede added that some of the candidates whose results were cancelled, would also take part in the rescheduled exam.

    The JAMB boss said the decision to allow the candidates sit for the rescheduled examination was reached after a thorough review of all the reports that emanated from their centres.

    According to him, 1,386 candidates have their results cancelled over examination malpractice; 57,646 results were also affected as a result of centres-induced malpractices while the results of 666 candidates were cancelled due to multiple examinations.

    He listed the categories of candidates whose results were cancelled but would take part in the rescheduled examination to include candidates of centres with mass malpractices but who are deemed innocent, biometric non-verification machine related issues.

    Others include technical and log out issues, late registration, incomplete results and candidates who lost examination sessions due to malfunctioning of servers at the affected centre.

  • How Ikoyi prison inmates fared in UTME – School Principal

    How Ikoyi prison inmates fared in UTME – School Principal

    The Principal of the Ikoyi Prison School, Mr Ibikunle Idris, says 36 out of 59 inmates who sat for the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) scored 180 and above.

    Idris, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos, said the performance of the inmates, in spite of their being in incarceration, was impressive.

    He said that one of the inmates scored 236; the highest among candidates in the school during the examination.

    “The highest score among the inmates we presented for the 2017 UTME is 236.

    “I am impressed with this year’s performance, compared to last year’s performance in the same examination in terms of average.

    “The 59 candidates that wrote this year’s examination is an improvement over 36 persons that registered in 2016,’’ the principal said.

    He attributed the success story to “the new penchant for learning’’ demonstrated by the inmates.

    According to him, the efforts put in by various individual volunteer teachers from within and outside the facility also contributed to the performance of the inmates.

    He said the prison authorities also improved their facilities, which enhanced qualitative teaching.

    The principal also commended JAMB for assisting the school with 60 computers and accessories for the conduct of the UTME.

    Idris told NAN that the prison authorities were following up the academic progress of some inmates that were recently released as part of its aftercare service.

    “We are still getting in touch with them.

    “We try to follow them up and offer guidelines on what to do at every given point in time.

    “Recently, three of them, who had left the facility, called to seek assistance on how to further their education.’’

    The principal, however, pleaded with relevant government authorities to assist the facility with a befitting Computer-Based Test (CBT) centre.

    “With a well-equipped CBT centre in the facility, the inmates can be effectively trained on how to apply the computer during major external examinations.

    “Most external examination now, aside GCE, are CBT based,’’ he said.

    Also speaking, the Deputy Controller of Prisons (DCP) at the Ikoyi facility, Mr Julius Ezeugwu, described the performance of the inmates as `heart-warming’.

    He appealed to NGOs and other public-spirited individuals to support the facility in the area of educational programmes for the inmates.

    “Government cannot do it alone, but if we can get support from voluntary organisations and individuals, we will have more inmates sitting for examinations and we will record better performance.

    “In all, we will not relent in our efforts to ensure that their welfare is given topmost priority,’’ Ezeugwu said.

    NAN reports that inmates that are successful in the UTME have the opportunity to enrol in the National Open University of Nigeria for further studies while still serving their terms.

  • Portal for candidates’ personal data correction not open – JAMB

    Portal for candidates’ personal data correction not open – JAMB

    Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has not opened its portal for candidates in the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME)  to effect the change of course or correction of data, an official has said.

    The Head of Media and Information of JAMB, Dr Fabian Benjamin, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)  in Lagos on Thursday that many candidates bombarded the Lagos office of the organisation for these purposes.

    Benjamin said that reports reaching the headquarters of the board indicated that a large crowd of candidates on Wednesday besieged the board’s Lagos office.

    He said the development was creating unnecessary anxiety and chaos where there should be none.

    “This announcement became necessary following the crowd in our offices by candidates demanding for such services.

    “Affected candidates are urged to remain calm as we shall contact them when the time is right.

    “The request for correction of data is usually from candidates, who provided wrong information while filling their application document online,’’ Benjamin said.

    According to him, the change of institutions is for those who are considering other preferences other than their initial choices.

    He noted that the candidates were misled to believe that the board had started such services and would soon close.

    He said that when the board opened the window for correction of data and change of course it would make the announcement.

    He assures all candidates desirous of carrying out the correction of data or change of institution that the board would ensure that enough time was given for them to do so.

    Benjamin also explained that the board had not finished with the conduct of the 2017 UTME.

    “The board is still conducting examinations for those who registered late and those who could not be verified during the examination.

    “As such, it will be unfair to them to open window for such correction and changes at the same time.

    “Our reforms are meant to make our services accessible to all conveniently.’’

    He also said that JAMB would decentralise the service when it eventually opened its portal for it.

    “We are collaborating with the University of Lagos, Yaba College of Technology and other stakeholders on this in Lagos. We will do same in other states.

    “This will ease the pressure on our various offices and ensure a hitch-free process.’’

    More than 1.7 million candidates registered for the examination that was conducted from May 13 to May 20 nationwide.

    Results of majority of the candidates have been released while some others have yet to be released as the board is still scrutinising them.

  • UTME: JAMB asks candidates to ignore rumour of marks deduction

    UTME: JAMB asks candidates to ignore rumour of marks deduction

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has asked candidates who wrote the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to disregard any information of deduction of marks by the board.

    Its spokesperson, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, in a statement on Friday in Abuja, said the rumour is false, devilish and intended to cause disaffection among the candidates.

    He said any candidate with any infraction would be sanctioned in accordance with the provision of the examination malpractice Act.

    The statement reads: “The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has urge all candidates who participated in the 2017 to disregard any information being circulated by mischief makers on the deduction of marks by the Board. This rumour is false, devilish and intended to cause disaffection among the candidates.

    “The Board has not deducted any  marks from any candidate and  is not contemplating doing that as it is not a condition for sanction in any of the provisions of the law against malpractice.

    “Again, we call on all candidates to be mindful of fraudulent characters who will send misleading informations to create panic and take advantage of the situation to defraud candidates.

    “The Board has also noted that some candidates who could not check their results are being told that their results are not out because they are owing JAMB some money. This is a lie and candidates are advised not to pay any money to anybody as their results are send to their mails and also on our website:www.jamb.org.ng. Candidates are to login with their registration number or email address to print.

    “The Board will be concluding the 2017 examination on Saturday 20th May, 2017. The Board has conducted examination for a  total of  1,698,835 candidates and the remaining 19950 candidates will be sitting for the last day on Saturday 20th May, 2017. The results of examination conducted are released for candidates to check except for today Saturday 20th May,  2017.  Any candidate with any challenge should not hesitate to contact the Board or check our website for information and numbers.”