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Tag: Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME)

  • UTME Registration: JAMB introduces Remita to ease candidates’ pin purchase

    UTME Registration: JAMB introduces Remita to ease candidates’ pin purchase

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says that eligible candidates for its 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) can now purchase the pin for registration using the Remita mode.

    The board said on Sunday the development came on the heels of the reported challenges the candidates faced in an attempt to acquire the pins from NIPOST and the designated banks.

    The Head of Information of JAMB, Dr Fabian Benjamin, said the board had noted the many headaches of prospective candidates from various parts of the country, including Lagos.

    He said that candidates had lamented the difficulties involved in obtaining the pins from designated banks on the payment of N5,500 and the subsequent hassles in getting registered.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the registration of candidates for the examination started on March 20.

    NAN also reports that the candidates had described the process as cumbersome and frustrating as they have to queue as early as 2 or 3 a.m. in some cases in banks just to acquire pins.

    They had also said that often times, they spent the entire day waiting endlessly without results as the bank officials tell them that they could not access the site for the pins.

    They also said the development normally warranted them to spend almost an entire week trying and that even when they succeeded, they start facing the task of registration at overcrowded centres.

    According to Benjamin, candidates are advised not to panic as every eligible candidate desirous of registering will do so before the closing date of April 19.

    “We appreciate the fact that the sales of the UTME for 2017 which is hitherto set to last for six has been reduced to one month.

    “This was done in the interest of the candidates as it was to ensure that the challenges candidates are going through are resolved.

    “To further cushion the effect of these challenges, we have decided to bring the Remitta mode on board.

    “Candidates can now purchase the pin for registration from the comfort of their homes.

    “So, aside the banks and NIPOST, candidates can now purchase the pins through Remita,’’ Benjamin said in a statement.

    The statement explained why the board banned cyber cafes from registering candidates for the examination, noting that activities in the cafes damaged records and statistics of candidates.

    “In as much as we want to be inclusive, we cannot look the other way while students’ records and national statistics are mutilated.

    “Ours is an examination, so we cannot be guided by primordial consideration over quality and standard,’’ it said.

    According to the statement, most problems associated with candidates’ registration such as wrong spellings of names, wrongful placement of passport photograph and others emanates from the business centres at registration points.

    “Don’t forget, it is virtually impossible to regulate the activities of these business centres as their mode of operations did not provide necessary details about them.

    “These problems created by cafes make information gathering, processing and administration of examination cumbersome as records and data of candidates are distorted.

    “The accreditation centres are on the board’s website for easy identification cohesion and smooth operation,’’ it explained.

    He added that the board would continue to expand the frontiers and channels of the sales of the pins in virtually all the banks, with a view to bringing the services to the door step of every Nigerian child desirous of qualitative tertiary education.

    According to the statement, examination is a serious business and it cannot be left open the way some people want it to be.

    “We again urge Nigerians particularly anxious candidates not to fall prey to unsuspecting and dubious individuals who parade themselves as agents of JAMB with the intention to defraud them.

    “The board’s e-brochures and syllabus are on the CD to be given out to candidates and it is free and available as a guide to candidates to have a hitch-free registration exercise,’’ the statement said.

  • JAMB: Parents, candidates call for more centres, extension of time for registration

    JAMB: Parents, candidates call for more centres, extension of time for registration

    Some parents and candidates for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in Abuja have called on JAMB to increase the time frame for registration as well as registration centres.

    In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday, they said considering the challenges faced so far, the number of centres and four week period for registration were not sufficient.

    Mrs Vicky Anyembe, a parent who spoke with NAN at one of the accredited Computer Based Test (CBT) Centres said it took her child three days to register for the examination.

    Aymembe said it took her child three days to register because of the slow internet at the centre.

    “We have been leaving the house every day before 6 a.m to ensure we are among the first to register but no avail because the centre has been having poor internet.

    “If you ask me, I will say we are not ready for this computerised process because people are suffering to register.

    “Government should do something about it maybe create more centres to ease the process.

    “Some of these children have to return to the bank because of one issue or the other and the bank is not close by; it is dangerous sending these children across the highway,’’ she said.

    The parent also urged the government to take nearest of residents into consideration before picking centres, adding that whatever is needed for the registration to be successful should be within a given environment.

    Mr Adams John, another parent, complained of overcrowding in the banks as a result of the limited number of banks within the area.

    John said the process took his boys three days to complete their registration processes, and called on the government to device other means of making the process less burdensome.

    “I suggest that we can go back to buying scratch cards so that the children can register at their own convenience within the given time frame by JAMB.

    “Also the issue of limited banks has to be addressed if the authorities really want the candidates to register within the four weeks period; or there may be need to extend the time,’’ he said.

    Master Sani Ismail, a candidate commended JAMB for the new innovations in the registration process.

    Ismail, however, called for an extension of time for the registration.

    “The process of registration is okay,   there has been an improvement but the problem we have is the time, it is too short.

    “This is a nationwide examination; JAMB gave four weeks which is too short. I suggest that from next year they can make it two months so that people can register.’’

    Ismail also appealed to JAMB to make the subject brochures available for students so they could cross check it before registering.

    Another candidate, Miss Tope Adigun, said she had spent three days trying to register because of the slow internet at the centre.

    Adigun called on the government to increase the registration centres, saying with the number of candidates we have this year and the challenge of poor internet it would not be sufficient.

    “If we in the city are going through all this stress imagine what people in the villages will be going through,’’ she said.

  • Best LASU graduating student wrote UTME seven times

    Best LASU graduating student wrote UTME seven times

     

    A pregnant woman, Mrs Elizabeth Orefuwa, the Lagos State University (LASU) best graduating students in 2015/2016, says she wrote the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) seven times before gaining admission.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the heavily pregnant student, graduated with a Cumulative Grade Point Average of 4.74 in Accounting Education.

    Orefuwa, 29, said during the institution’s 21st convocation on Wednesday in Lagos that the journey through the institution did not come easy but with determination and motivation, she had success a story to tell.

    She said that in the process of seeking for university admission, she started a professional career in accounting.

    “The journey through the institution was not easy; it took me seven years of writing the UTME before I finally gained admission in 2012.

    “I also applied for direct entry three times at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.

    “During this period of waiting, I started professional career at the Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria (ICAN) in 2007 and became qualified as an Associate Chartered Accountant (ACA) in 2010,’’Orefuwa told NAN.

    She said that she wanted to study accounting but fate brought her to education, adding that she enjoyed every bit of it and never dreamt of coming out with a first class and becoming the best student.

    According to her, self-determination and motivation through her father’s insisting on academic excellence give her an edge.

    “My aim is to get my first degree certificate after several years of waiting and to satisfy my dad, who has been insisting on academic certificate before professional certificate.

    “He would always say to me then that I have put the cart before the horse.

    “However, what kept me going was self-belief, focus and determination bearing in mind that I am not competing with other but with my own capabilities.’’

    She said that her marriage at the beginning of her final year and the pregnancy condition did not affect her academic performance.

    “I had a CGPA of 4.72 before marriage and I graduated with 4.74 point.

    “I got married during my final year in 2015 and my husband was very supportive throughout that period.’’

    Although a chartered accountant, Orefuwa said she would love to teach and combine it with practising accounting profession.

     

  • UTME: Applicants decry delay at Banks in Bwari

    UTME: Applicants decry delay at Banks in Bwari

    Some applicants in Bwari seeking to register for the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), have expressed concern over delay in the registration processes.

    They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday that the delay was worrisome, considering the short period of March 20 to April 19 fixed for the exercise nationwide

    Mr Hope Okoro, an applicant who spoke to NAN at the JAMB Computer Based Centre in Kogo community, located in Bwari, said the registration process was easy, but for the delay in banks.

    “The registration is easy and fast; the problem is just the queue at the bank where you pay for the form,” he said.

    Miss Patience Nweke, an applicant, complained of challenges she faced in two banks within the area, adding that the exercise was stressful.

    “First, we were delayed at one of the banks that did not even care to attend to us. When we went to another bank, the queue was unbearably too long

    “I was here at 7 a.m. on Monday when the sales of the UTME form was said to have commenced but we were not attended to till 3 p.m. the next day after standing under the sun for long,” she lamented.

    Another applicant, Miss Ann Ajayi, said although such exercise involved some form of delay, the attitude exhibited by some bank staff lacked much to be desired.

    She said even after for a long time in one of the banks (name withheld), none of the staff attended to them.

    “We were told by someone said to be a bank staff, that the JAMB Registrar had not approved the selling of forms,” she said.

    Reacting to the complaints, Mr Abdusalam Mohammed, Supervisor of the JAMB CBT centre in Kogo, Bwari Area Council, insisted that no hitches had so far been experienced in the cause of the registration.

    “The delay complained about is not from us; the delay was from the banks, but that has been rectified and the registration is going on perfectly,” Mohammed insisted.

    A staff one of the banks in Bwari who pleaded anonymity, said most of the financial institutions were yet to commence registration processes because they were still making arrangements for hitch-free exercise

     

  • JAMB begins sale of 2017 UTME forms March 20 – Spokesman

    JAMB begins sale of 2017 UTME forms March 20 – Spokesman

    The Joint Admission and Matriculations Board (JAMB) says it will begin the sale of the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) forms on March 20.

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

    Benjamin said the date was fixed following an agreement that was reached on the harmonization of the examination timetable at a meeting with other exam bodies on Jan. 24.

    “We will begin the sale of the admission forms on March 20, while UTME is scheduled to hold in May.

    “We are ready to commence the sales of the 2017/2018 admission forms for UTME and Direct Entry forms on the said date,’’ he said.

    NAN reports that JAMB recently emphasized that it would organise an optional mock examination before the 2017 UTME.

    Based on information published on its Twitter handle @JAMBHQ, the date of the Mock examination will soon be announced.

    According to the board, the purpose of the mock examination is to allow candidates “FEEL’’ what the main examination will be like.

    The board, however, said the mock examination would be “completely optional’’ as it would not be a pre-requirement for writing the actual UTME.

    It added that candidates can choose to either take the mock examination or not.

    The board also disclosed that Interswitch Payment on the e-Facility portal has been temporarily disabled and that the list of its accredited centres soon be announced.

     

  • JAMB: ‘UI to admit 3,000 out of over 29,000 candidates’

    JAMB: ‘UI to admit 3,000 out of over 29,000 candidates’

    The Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan (UI), Prof Idowu Olayinka has said that only 3,000 candidates out of the over 29,000 who scored 200 and above in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and chose the premier university would be offered admission.

    The Vice Chancellor lamented that poor funding, infrastructure deficit, student-lecturer ratio and limitation of Hostel accommodation would not allow the University go beyond its present carrying capacity.

    Candidates who chose the university have been anxious to hear the admission guideline from the premier university since the ban on post-UTME examination which the Vice Chancellor attested had improved the quality of graduates and reduced those asked to withdraw from the University.

    While speaking on the topic “Challenges of Building a World Class University” at the 68th Interdisciplinary Research Discourse of the Postgraduate school under the Deanship of Professor Adeyinka Aderinto, Professor Olayinka noted that Nigerian government must decide if it wants her universities to be globally competitive or not by adequately funding research and fixing infrastructural deficits bedeviling them.

    While noting that without research a university is a glorified secondary school, the Vice Chancellor noted that Nigerian government should go beyond expressing ‘suspect’ regret at the ranking of her universities at public functions, rather, it should allocate more funds to revatilise teaching and research.

    The professor of Geology listed inadequate teaching and research facilities, problem of attracting and retaining top-class faculty, poor funding, overstretched infrastructure, inconsistent policy of education, inadequate suitable staff, and government attitude to education as factors affecting the global competitiveness of the university.

    “Funding is needed to make UI a world class university. A globally competitive university is that which can boast of top-class scholars with sound funding of research because without research, a university is a glorified secondary school. While our goal is to train new generation of leaders we have challenges towards achieving this. The mark of a truly world class institution is measured by what her graduates do after leaving the institution.

    “Oxford will boast that they have produced more Prime Ministers so is Harvard on world leaders. Of course UI graduates are doing well all over Nigeria but we must do more so that our graduates can be blessing to Nigeria and the global community. Nigerian leaders should go beyond feeling bad at the ranking of our universities. If UI is presently ranked 19 in Africa and the top 4 varsities are in South Africa, then Nigeria government should understudy what they do in south Africa for their universities including research grants and learning environment and infrastructure. We cannot be globally competitive without electricity. We will be more productive if power is available. We should be playing leading role in research and innovation, contribute to local and regional economies and this will drive our global competitiveness.”

    In his speech, Chairman of the occasion and former Vice Chancellor, Prof Bankole Oyediran noted that universities are the power house of knowledge designed to contribute to the development and planning through the production of innovative works, ground breaking research and high quality personnel.

    However, he noted that while it is obvious that universities and academics can play vital role in development most African countries including Nigeria declared recognition of the role of universities in national development remains mere politically correct rhetoric.

    The former VC then noted that a world class university, which by implication is research active can play vital role in regional economy and development.

  • UNILAG announces pre-admission screening

    The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has announced that online registration for the Screening Exercise for Admission into ALL COURSES/PROGRAMMES for the 2016/2017 academic session will begin on August 3, 2016 and close on 24.
    A statement issued by the Information about the university noted that candidates who chose the institution as their first choice, scored 200 in the 2016 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and have the relevant O Level results at one sitting can register for the screening. However, candidates less than 16 years old have been told not to register.
    The statement reads: “Candidates who made University of Lagos their first choice in the 2016 UTME and scored 200 and above are eligible for the screening. In addition, candidates must possess five (5) credit passes at one sitting in relevant O/level subjects including English Language and Mathematics.
    “Candidates, who will not be 16 years of age by October 31, 2016 are not eligible and need not apply.
    “Candidates who are awaiting results are also eligible to apply for the screening. Such candidates will be allowed to upload their results when they are released only if they applied within the specified period. Candidates are advised to check the University website for the specified period.”
  • Reps panel backpedals on use of CBT by JAMB

    Reps panel backpedals on use of CBT by JAMB

    House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education yesterday backpedalled on the use of computer-based test (CBT) by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for candidates seeking admission into tertiary institutions.

    The committee had earlier rejected the system.

    The House, in its sitting, had urged the Federal Government to direct JAMB to revert to the paper and pencil test (PPT) for candidates taking the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), following protests over the use of CBT.

    Chairman, House Committee on Basic Education, Zakari Muhammed during a visit to one of the centres in Bwari, FCT, Abuja yesterday, told reporters that the use of CBT was in line with global practice to sanitize the education system

    He noted that the House never took a position on the use of CBT by JAMB.

    Muhammed added that the House only discussed the conduct of the examination by the board.

    He said those who wrote the examination outside Nigeria were leveraging on the flexibility and advantage of CBT.

    According to him, the use of PPT by candidate was cumbersome and characterized with several irregularities and unwholesome activities.

    “The House of Representatives Committee on Education is in support of the use of CBT by JAMB. The world is flying and we cannot be crawling.

    “Today, those candidates are writing a rescheduled examination some of whom are sick because of the flexibility of CBT without which they would not have had this opportunity,” he said.

    The chairman advised parents to be patient with the board, adding that the process was not as complex as it had been made to look.

    He called on JAMB to identify the hitches and address them, adding that the House would support JAMB in putting infrastructure together to see that the new examination regime was stress-free.

    Registrar, JAMB Prof. Dibu Ojerinde said the rescheduled examination was one of the flexibility of the CBT.

    According to him, the conduct of the rescheduled examinations for candidates, who missed the UTME because of change in centres, was due to the use of the CBT.

    He noted that the major objective of the board was to completely eliminate malpractice through the conduct of the CBT.

    “Only CBT has the capacity to address all the challenge of the conduct of public examination in the 21st century.

    “The 21st century child in Nigeria irrespective of where he or she comes from has no problem with CBT. The complexity developed by perpetrators of malpractice can never be detected by Paper and Pencil Test,” he said.

    Ojerinde noted that so far, over 37 per cent of candidates scored 200 and above compared to the 32 per cent last year.

    He added that 59 per cent scored 180 and above compared to the 55 per cent recorded last year.

    He said this year’s performance was better than last year’s exercise.

  • “JAMB used wrong software for 2016”

    “JAMB used wrong software for 2016”

    • Seeks Dibu Ojerinde’s resignation as registrar
    • JAMB explains conflicting results

    The Association of Tutorial School Operators (ATSO) has accused the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) of using the wrong grading software to mark the 2016/2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

    The group claimed that the error was responsible for the poor and conflicting results that were released by the board for the examination written between February 27 and March 17 in over 500 centres nationwide.

    At a press briefing in Lagos on Wednesday, President of the group, Mr Shodunke Oludotun, alleged that the board erroneously used the software from last year to grade this year’s examination.

    He called for the release of the right results, as well as the resignation of the JAMB Registrar, Prof ‘Dibu Ojerinde.

    Oludotun said: “We have our evidence to show that virtually all the candidates we have collected results of 2015/2016 and not of 2016/2017.

    “This year, Prof Dibu Ojerinde advertised 2016/2017 UTME – we all saw it.  During his press conference, he also mentioned 2016/2017.  During the exam, the students on their monitor, it displayed 2016/2017. Why is it that the result that was sent to the students showed 2015/2016?

    “From our findings from insiders in JAMB, we realized that the software of 2015/2016 interfered with the 2016/2017, which led to the massive failure of the students.  If you can see the trend of results from (February) 27 to 29, the students failed; (March) 7-15, the students failed massively.

    “But we noticed that the 27-29 were compensated with 40 marks still under the interference of software.  We can see that the 2015/2016 software was used to mark, that was why the students were receiving 2015/2016 results.  So where is 2016/2017 result?  That is what we are asking Prof Dibu Ojerinde…We are saying that Prof Dibu Ojerinde should step aside.”

    Though the House of Representatives has told JAMB to revert to the Paper Pencil Test (PPT) mode of the examination since the conduct of the Computer Based Test (CBT) was fraught with irregularities, Oludotun said the group was in support of the CBT because it is better.

    “This Association of Tutorial School Operators, we are not against CBT.  CBT has really helped to bring more students to tutorial centres.  It makes them to be serious; and we have taught them.  But for CBT, the whole JAMB exam would have been messed up.  Because before CBT, it will only take you N2,000 for Cyber café to send the answers to you.  So I want to say that we appreciate the professor for introducing the CBT; and we are in support of CBT,” he said.

    However, he called for Ojerinde to step aside so someone else would build on the foundation he has laid to conduct hitch free examinations.

    Responding to ATSO’s allegations of software mishap, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, JAMB’s Director of Media and Public Relations, said whether 2010 or 2019 software was used, what was important was the programming and not the marking guide.

    “I am not a programmer, but I can confirm to you that JAMB does not joke with its template. What happened with the 40 marks issue is because the scripts were marked based on 250 marks because only English Language is 100 while the other three papers carry 50 marks, making a total of 250.

    “So when the first results were released, they were calculated based on 250, and after normalization we felt it would not be ideal for us to cheat on the candidates. So we had to quickly send them their real scores,” Benjamin stated.

    He refuted claims that the House Committee on Education had ordered the board to revert to PPT.  Onl the contrary, he said the committee praised JAMB for introducing the CBT.

    “The House never considered ordering the examinationn to revert to PPT; individual members only raised suggestions,” he said.