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Tag: Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination

  • JAMB sets for 2019 UTME

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board ( JAMB ) on Monday said that it was fully prepared for the 2019 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

    The board made this known in its weekly Bulletin of the Office of the Registrar and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

    According to the report, the board concluded preparation following the Governing Board’s consideration of all items on the checklist of the board in preparation for the 2019 UTME, among others.

    This, it said was presented to the Governing Board at its meeting, which held on Feb. 6.

    The report quoted the Chairman of the Board, Dr Emmanuel Ndukwe, as saying that: “We have looked at all preliminary procedures and have come to the conclusion that if the board wants to conduct examination today, it can do so successfully without hitches.”

    Read Also: UTME deadline may not be extended, says JAMB chairman

    It added that the board analyzed the progress made in the registration exercise, centre accreditation, revalidation and a link test of all the Computer-Based Test Centres (CBT) to ascertain their functionality as claimed by the CBT centre owners.

    The Governing Board commended the various organs of the board for the early preparations of the examination, which is scheduled to be conducted in March.

    Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, the Registrar of the Board, had earlier presented the reports of the various committees to the Governing Board which were duly approved after extensive deliberations.

    NAN reports that JAMB commenced the 2019 UTME online registration in its CBT centres across the country on Jan. 10 and would end Feb. 21.

    The 2019 UTME is scheduled to commence on March 16.

  • Cheers, jeers for UTME, NECO SSCE fee cut

    President Muhammadu Buhari’s reduction of the registration fees for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) conducted by the National Examinations Council (NECO) is seen as a relief in many quarters. But some students, parents and teachers believe it is a political gimmick.

    President Muhammadu Buhari’s reduction of the registration fees for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) organised by the National Examinations Council (NECO) last week, has come as a relief for many students, parents and teachers.

    This is so considering that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has been remitting huge revenue to the Federal Government coffers since Prof Ishaq Oloyede became Registrar in 2016.  Just before Buhari reduced the fees, Oloyede said, while delivering the convocation lecture at the Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), that the board remitted N9 billion to the Federal Government – a far cry from the N300 million target set by the former Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun; and the N500 million set by the Education Minister, Malam Adamu Adamu.

    As a result of the reduction, candidates for the 2019 UTME and the NECO SSCE will pay N1,500 less than was charged for this year’s examinations. The UTME will now cost N5,000, while NECO SSCE will cost N9,850.

    Many have praised Buhari for the reduction.

    Appreciating the move, some students, especially those funding their own education, or who come from low-income backgrounds, said it would lift a huge burden from them.

    When The Nation broke the news of the fee reduction to Adeniyi Adeola, a student, and Junaid Qudus, an artisan.  They expressed delight at the reduction.

    Adeola said: “I never heard of this until you said it. This reduction would be very helpful to youths and to me because am planning on taking the 2019 UTME and this reduction is a very huge help to me because of the financial state of my,” he said.

    Qudus, on his part, hoped it would continue beyond the 2019 election year.

    “Reduction? Wow! This is a very big opportunity for striving youths not to lose interest in education because of the high costs of examination forms. I would be very glad if President Buhari or any other person that wins the 2019 election to continue this tradition because it is a very productive development for  youths,” he said.

    Muneer Yaqub, a student of the Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto, said the relief to students would be enormous.

    “The reduction is a very welcome development that is needed because as a student myself, I know the problems so many students go through to obtain the UTME form and I know that there are a lot of students out there who want to participate in the exams but because of the high fees of those exams can’t. But with this reduction at least some people would be relieved,” he said.

    Adebiyi Mutiat, a student of Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, said the reduction was in keeping with Buhari’s track record of excellence.

    “The reduction coming from President Buhari is nothing new because since his inauguration as President, he has proved himself to be someone who wants development for Nigeria and its citizens. PDP for over 16 years has not been able to contribute their own productive quota to Nigeria’s development but within the four years of Buhari’s administration, he has been able to do mcuh,” he said.

    The Ogun State Secretary of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Mr Abiodun Oyediran, said the reduction was evidence that the examining bodies had been exploiting parents in the past with high fees.

    “Recent revelations about JAMB indicate that parents have been unduly exploited for so long.  So, if the Federal Government considers it good to reduce the fees, it is okay. That is why public opinion about it is favourable,” he said.

    Some others have, however, claimed that the reduction was simply political, especially as the President is seeking re-election next year.

    Mr David Ekong, a public servant in Calabar, said if political, it may not be sustainable.

    “It is just a political move and nothing more. I don’t see any considerable difference in the former and present prices. If they were sincere and wanted to really help the people, they should have made it free. After all, they say JAMB has generated so much. I don’t see it as anything commendable and I even wonder how long it would be sustained.

    However, whether political or not, many parents gave kudos to the President for easing the burden on the masses.

    With four of his wards preparing to write the 2019 UTME, Mr Etuk Eyibio, a Cross River-based parent, said the saving was significant.

    “Although I think that it is a political move as we are in the political season, I still give kudos to the Federal Government for choosing something that will make life easier for the masses. They could as well have floated something vague in the name politics but this one of reducing these costs is good for us. I only wish they can make it cheaper still. I would be buying forms for four people in my household and the reduction, though not much would ease the financial strain a little,” he said.

    Mrs Rita Inyang, a parent, said it was a step in the right direction, especially as JAMB was making money.

    “It is a welcome development and a good pointer to the achievements of the Federal Government. We are all witnesses to the fact that for the first time, JAMB was generating and remitting so much money to the Federal Government. This, I believe, has been partly responsible for why they reduced the price. I am grateful for the development, but the Federal Government needs to do more,” she said.

    Mallam Murtala Abubakar, a Kano resident, said even if the reduction by the president is political, “in my opinion it has tremendously benefited us; as such, let it continue to be political as long as we are benefiting from him.”

    Abubakar further said despite the deduction, many parents might not be able to afford the payment of the fees due to the biting economic situation in the country.

    He mirrored the concern of some others who said the problems in the education sector and the economy could not be solved by N1,500 reduction.

    Regardless of the reduction, Blessing Agbaje does not see how it is possible to get a university education.

    The teenager, who hawks goods in Ikeja, Lagos said, though welcomed, it would have little or no impact on her.

    “I would love to further my education in the university but who will support me.  I hawk goods for my aunty, which at the end of the day, it cannot even cover for three square meals.  Even if I am able to purchase the JAMB form at the new price,  I cannot go further than that. So, of what use is the JAMB form to me?” she asked.

    The reduction does not also give Chuks Nnamdi much hope.

    He said: “Well for me, it does not change anything. After writing the UTME, you are denied admission just on the basis of money. The recent UTME I could not participate because there was no possibility that the money for my admission would be ready for admission process begins. My dad rides okada( commercial motor cycle). Even to raise the N5,000 to purchase the form, I remember how difficult it was for him two years ago.”

    A student, Austin Ike, said the government should overhaul the education sector instead.

    He said: “How will the reduction in price solve the problems in education?  The sector needs overhauling. How much attention has been given to the sector? So, if the form is purchased, what next?  Is this a fair deal with students in the country? Or is this an insult to our intelligence?  Should he use us for his political gains? I am so disappointed.   Did he just realise that N5,000 is a big amount of money to some? I see this move as a big insult and demeaning to all students and aspiring students who want to be educated.”

  • 2019: Customs tightens security against smuggling of firearms

    The Nigeria Customs Services on Thursday said it has tightened security across Nigeria borders in order to tackle the proliferation and smuggling of firearms into the country ahead of next year’s general elections.

    The Comptroller – General, Hameed Ali, said the service was also watching the seaports, as most firearms and ammunition are smuggled into the country through the ports.

    He spoke with reporters during the conduct of promotion exercise for the Nigerian Customs Service at the Computer Based Test Centre of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, in Abuja.

    Ali said: “Most of the arms and ammunition a coming into the country come through the seaports. Those ones that we discovered coming through the border stations we already tightened security. Although there are some areas in the north which are porous.

    “We are doing the best we can and we work on information because intelligence information helps a lot. Anywhere we discover that illegal arms are about to enter the country we go there and get it locked down.”

    Ali, who was represented by ACG Olapolu Fatade, Human Resource Department at the service, explained that 10, 498 officers took part in the promotion examination for officers of different ranks across the country.

    He added that the agency chose to conduct the exercise in JAMB CBT centres because of its credibility and timely release of results.

    Read Also: Customs seizes Tramadol worth N7.3b

    JAMB’s Head of Media, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, explained the board’s readiness to continuously give the general public the desired impact to further enhance institutions through conducting transparent and credible examinations at its CBT centres nationwide.

    He explained that organisations and agencies chose to conduct their exercises at JAMB because of the trust and confidence they had for the board to deliver.

    “Before each examinations, we charge the candidates to conduct themselves in the best way because once you breach the examination’s code of conduct, you will be immediately sent out of the hall.

    “We are very firm, determined and irrespective of whoever is involved, our benchmark is that you must behave accordingly as expected of you,” he said.

    He said the board would soon commence registration for 2019/2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination in December as scheduled.

    According to Benjamin, no specific date has been fixed for the commencement of the registration yet.

    He added that plans were underway to do so as soon as possible, as the board was initially waiting for the pronouncement of the presidency on the reduction of the examinations fee, which was formally announced on Wednesday.

  • UTME made easy

    About a month after the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) was held nationwide, not much is being mentioned about the examination. This is unlike in the past when, weeks to the examination, people’s adrenalin would rise, all because their wards or children wanted to sit for UTME. Preparations for the examination was so chaotic that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) which conducts it would be in the news even weeks after, and for the negative reasons.

    I recollect a personal experience when my son sat for the UTME in 2103. His centre was supposed to be the Sam Ethnan Air force Base, Ikeja, Lagos. I took him there pretty early; and that time being the peakof the Boko Haram insurgency, only the candidates were allowed to enter the premises after their papers had been checked at the gate. Candidates and others who had no business there were promptly turned back. I waited outside the gate for some time after my son was cleared and allowed into the premises, and when I had thought it was safe to leave, I returned home. My son too was rest assured he was in the right place only to be told alongside some other candidates about two hours later that they had been moved to Maryland Comprehensive High School in Maryland area of Lagos. The boy left the air force base for the new centre after losing a lot of time. He had barely 45 minutes to write the examinations which those of them who came late were allowed to write because the fault was not theirs but in the shoddy arrangement for the examination. It was a miracle that he was still able to meet the cut-off point for the examination. The rest is now history.

    This year, however, not many people knew when the examination was held, apart from those directly concerned. The reason is because of the way and manner the examination was conducted this time around. Without doubt, the organisation of this year’s UTME is far better than that of last year. There were minor hitches here and there in last year’s examination; but even at that, it was far better than previous years’.

    The noticeable improvement this time should be expected. One factor that cannot be discounted in this regard is the doggedness of Prof Ishaq Oloyede, JAMB registrar, to improve on what he met on ground and make the examination comparable to other examinations in other countries.

    He came up with the idea of mock UTME, which is beneficial to the candidates as well as the board. While the mock examination aids candidates who are sitting for the examination for the first time to know what the examination looks like, it also prepares the board for the examination proper by making it identify areas of shortcomings so it could tackle them before the examination day.

    In addition, the board, under Prof Oloyede came up with the idea of saddling some eminent Nigerians from the media, the academia, civil society organisations, etc. with the responsibility of finding out how things are going in all the centres nationwide during the examination, with a view to knowing where there were challenges so that such could be addressed immediately where possible; and where it was not possible, their reports would be a useful guide in the conduct of subsequent examinations.

    The monitors were to report on things like network issues, security, stipends for those operating the computer based test (CBT) centres, etc. Obviously, this has contributed immensely to the vast improvement noticed in this year’s UTME.

    But technology played a great role in the success story of this year’s UTME, whether at the level of payment for the examination, registration or even the conduct of the examination proper. The board was able to monitor and identify a particular computer system used by every candidate during the examination. It is therefore not surprising that some candidates’ results are still being withheld (still undergoing screening) due to reports of infractions committed during the examination. Apparently some of them must have violated one regulation or the other. While those who are found to be innocent will eventually have their results released, those in contravention of rules prohibiting items like wrist watches, pens/biros, mobile phones or similar electronic devices, calculators or similar devices, USB, CD, hard discs or similar storage devices, books or any reading/writing materials, cameras, recorders, microphones, ear pieces, ink/pen readers, smart lens, smart rings/jewellery, smart buttons as well as Bluetooth devices from the CBT centres may have their results cancelled.

    Indeed, one could see a determined effort on the part of the board to ensure the integrity of the examination. So, candidates who had determined to cheat through one means or the other, including those whose parents were ready to buy results with mouth-watering amounts must have met their match in a determined JAMB not to make that easy for them, which is good for the examination. What all of these has done is to reduce cases of widespread examination malpractices, examination questions leakages, admission racketeering and many more untoward activities that had characterised JAMB operations in the past.

    It goes without saying that the deployment of technology made some arrests possible during the registration exercise for erring CBT owners who refused to comply with the stipulated registration guidelines. Some of them were also arrested due to various infractions committed during the examination. In addition, the board has decided to blacklist any CBT centre that is below the stipulated standard in the conduct of its 2019 UTME. As if this was not enough, it also ensured that it was possible to monitor the conduct of the examination in all CBT centres from its headquarters in Abuja through the help of closed circuit television (CCTV).

    But the transformation at JAMB was not a coincidence; it was the result of deliberate effort of Prof Oloyede. Since no one can change a decadent system without encountering challenges, especially from those benefitting from the decadence of the past, Prof Oloyede should be saluted for his steadfastness in the face of all odds, both from within and outside of the board.

    He is barely 20 months old as JAMB registrar, having been appointed in August 2016. But then, what he has achieved makes it look as if he has been there for long. The point is that he hit the ground running. His other appointments must have given him the desired exposure that he needed to turn things around at JAMB. As a former vice-chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State; President of the Association of African Universities (AAU); member boards of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) and the International Association of Universities (IAU), Prof Oloyede is imbued with the wherewithal to bring about the desired change at JAMB. But it is not all about experience and exposure. If many Nigerians at the helm of affairs in many other places bring their wealth of experience and exposure to bear on their positions, this country will be far better than it is today.

    So, beyond the exposure and experience is the determination to make a difference. This determination to make a difference is what makes Prof Oloyede to stand out. It explains the saving of the phenomenal N8billion that he returned to government coffers in one year alone, precipitating, even if unintended, the government’s decision to probe past leadership of JAMB and other government agencies to find out how they had been spending public funds. The determination to succeed is also behind Prof Oloyede’s anti-corruption war at the board, which has exposed the underbelly of the system. What all these tell us is that things can be done well in this country as in other places. What is required is the resolve on the part of the managers to make things happen.

    But the beauty of it all is that Prof Oloyede cannot do it alone; that is why he always acknowledges the contributions of members of the staff of JAMB, particularly those who have bought into his change agenda in the place. Oloyede only happens to be the driver; the servant-leader if you like.

    This year’s UTME might not have been entirely faultless; but it is commendable at least to the extent that it was an improvement on past examinations. Of course, it can always get better.

  • 2018 UTME: JAMB urges candidates to patiently await results

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has urged its 2018 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidates to patiently await the results of the just concluded examinations.

    The Head of Media of the Board, Dr Fabian Benjamin, stated this in an interview with the News men on Saturday in Abuja.

    He said the board was working diligently to ensure that the results are processed and posted on the board’s website soonest.

    Benjamin said that modalities were being put in place to ensure all the results are transparent and accurate.

    He reiterated that the board was delaying some of the results because each has to undergo total scrutiny before being posted on its website to avoid cancellations later.

    According to him, some of the results would be ready by Monday, March 19.

    Read Also: JAMB worker’s suit for failure to tender condition of service

    He also assured that all technical difficulties encountered to access the website were being addressed.

    The news men reports that number of candidates, who sat for the examinations earlier, were yet to receive their results.

    While some said that they received the reply of “your results are not ready yet”, others complained that the site says “you did not register for these examinations.’’

    The news men also reports that the examination, which was scheduled to end on Saturday, March 17, ended on Friday, March 16.

    NAN

  • UTME hitch-free in Enugu, says NSCDC

    The just-concluded Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination ( UTME ) has been hitch-free in the 21 centres around Enugu state.‎

    This was disclosed by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Enugu State Command. ‎
    ‎
    The 21 UTME Computer Base Test (CBT) centres in Enugu State was concluded on March 13.

    NSCDC State Commandant, Mr Steve Amoga ‎disclosed this while speaking with reporters in Enugu on Thursday

    Amoga who was speaking on the general over-view of the 2018 UTME exercise compared with previous years noted that the 21 centres were fully manned by armed officers to ensure that external bodies and hoodlums do not interfere in any of the centres.

    “While the examination lasted, we provided a water-tight security at the centres and worked in close relationship with JAMB officials on ground in each of the state.

    “I personally monitored the exercise up till on Thursday, when it ended, and there was no serious security breach recorded so far,’’ he said.

    The commandant, however, noted that absenteeism and late coming was highly noticed this year than previous years.

    “At times, you find out the Computer Base Test (CBT) is half full and some of the candidates arrive very late to the centres,’’ he said.

    He noted that absenteeism and late coming could be checked if many candidates participate in the mock JAMB exercise before the real exercise.

    Amoga also urged the West African Examination Council (WAEC) to engage the services of the NSCDC in order to ensure orderliness, check externalities and malpractice during their examinations.

    ‎

  • UTME: NSCDC arrests three students for alleged exam malpractice

    Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC ), Ondo State Command, has arrested three students for alleged examination malpractice during the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in the state.

    Mr Pedro Awili, NSCDC state commandant, made this disclosure while speaking with the News men on Wednesday in Akure.

    Awili said that the three students were arrested at Adeyemi College of Education in Ondo town and Oyemekun Grammar school centre, Akure.

    Awili said that it was only the NSCDC officials that were given the mandate to deploy officer and men across the country to monitoring and supervisor the UTME Computer Based Test (CBT).

    “In spite of the fact that the command’s effort to educate students and warned them to shun examination malpractice, still some who cannot write exam without cheating were arrested.

    “So, in this UTME the command had arrested three suspects – one female and two males, they are right now in our detection.

    “Those caught will not go unpunished while some of them will be prosecuted.

    “This will serve as deterrent to other students who could not read their books and want to look for shortcut to pass exams,” he said.

    According to him, member of public need to know that examination malpractice is a very serious crime.

    “Students going to write exams should write with their own knowledge and shun cheating,” he said.

    Read Also: UTME: NSCDC arrests candidate who hid phone in pant

    The NSCDC boss, therefore, called on parents and guardians to advice their children and wards to read their books and shun examination malpractice.

    “Some parents assist their children to use machinery to pass exams. We want parents to discourage,

    “Besides, the monitoring, supervision and provision of basic security in all JAMB CBT centres, we are also not losing sight of our mandate.

    “On Friday we arrested two serious suspects involved in illegal petroleum products deal

    “A nursing mother and a man involved in buying and selling of adulterated petroleum products refined from the riverside.

    “The suspects were arrested by our men who were on surveillance at Igbokoda in Ilaje Local Government Area with 480litres of AGO and 720litres of kerosene,” he said

    He noted that the products had been vandalized from the NNPC/SDPC pipe and locally refined within the creek and push out for marketing.

    According to him, the command will ensure diligent investigation to unravel details behind the suspects’ actions.

    Awili, who said that the suspects would be charged to court soon, vowed to continue to ensure that Ondo NSCDC actualise its mandate, saying that there will no hiding place for any criminal in the state.

    NAN

  • 2018 UTME centre excites Kwara community

    The People of Aran-Orin in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara, have expressed delight about locating a centre for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination ( UTME ) in the community.

    Alhaji Kadiri Usman, the Vice President, Aran-Orin Progressive Union ( APU ) told our reporter  in Aran-Orin on Tuesday that the development was a life time achievement.

    Our reporter,  reports that the centre, which was formerly at Oro, a suburb, was moved to Aran-Orin to cater for UTME candidates in Kwara South Senatorial District of the state.

    Other centres in the district are located in Offa and Erin-Ile.

    Usman said the UTME centre, apart from putting the community in national and international limelight, had also boosted its commercial and trading activities.

    The community leader said the union had never relented in giving necessary assistance toward sustainability of the centre.

    He said the locating the centre in the community had also created more awareness for the youths in terms of seeking improved academic excellence.

    Usman thanked the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board ( JAMB ) for considering the community worthy of recognition.

    Read Also: Our biggest challenges, by Kwara motherless homes

    “No word can express the joy and happiness of the people of Aran-Orin over this UTME centre.

    “You can see that the volume of trading activities has increased considerably since the commencement of the examination few days ago.

    “We have mobilised our people, especially in the areas of security and accommodation.

    “The essence is geared toward making the candidates’ stay in the community a memorable and rewarding experience.

    “The community is not only projected positively in the national map but also as a safe and viable haven for national assignment,” he said.

    Similarly, Mr Hussein Okoro, the Centre’s Supervisor, praised the people of the community for their hospitality and cooperation.

    He said the centre had witnessed a hitch free exercise with no record of examination malpractices or other related incidents.

    NAN

  • Candidates hail JAMB’s mock examination

    Candidates hail JAMB’s mock examination

    Some 2018 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidates in Lagos on Monday applauded the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for conducting a hitch-free mock examination.

    The News men report that the mock examination is optional.

    The mock examination is to familiarise candidates with the process and test-run centre equipment (computers, servers and other backups) ahead of the main examination, slated to hold from March 9 to March 17.

    The news men correspondent who monitored the mock examination at the West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC) International Office Agidingbi, Ikeja, reports that candidates started arriving the centre as early as 5.30 a.m.

    The board had programmed candidates to take the examination in three sessions of 7.00 a.m., 9.00 a.m. and 1.30 p.m.

    The examination started with a thorough body search of candidates by men of the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), followed by the biometric verification by the JAMB officials.

    One of the candidates, Opemipo Babajide, told the news men, the experience was worth the while, as it was his first time of participating at such examination.

    “Initially, I was not sure of what I was going to see in the hall, but on getting there, I just ensured I followed instructions.

    “I discovered, it was really nothing to be afraid of, as everything turned out to be seamless.

    “JAMB has done a great job with the introduction of this mock,’’ Babajide said.

    Victor Akuwudike, another candidate, said he relished the smooth way the system responded while the examination lasted.

    According to Akuwudike, from the launch of his browser through the entire process, it is interesting.

    “I really like my experience today with the entire examination process.

    Read Also: The JAMB scam and what not to do next, plus The Boko Harasser

    “Everything worked for the good of the examination and I want to salute JAMB for all the `behind the scene’ efforts in ensuring the smooth conduct of this mock examination.

    “My prayer is for the board not to relent in ensuring a perfect conduct of the main examination comes March,’’ Akuwudike said.

    The news men, however, reports that some candidates reported late for the mock examination.

    Some of the affected candidates missed their schedule, which automatically, disqualified them for the examination.

    The candidates claimed they came from far areas, which led to their late arrival at the centre.

    An official of JAMB at the centre was seen admonishing the candidates on the danger of getting to examination centres late.

    The official, who pleaded anonymity, urged the affected candidates to be conscious of the time of any the examination as this might stop them from achieving their aims.

    The news men reports that 245,753 candidates were expected to sit for the 2018 UTME mock examination nationwide.

    NAN

  • Candidates protest UTME exam date; seeks postponement

    Candidates protest UTME exam date; seeks postponement

    Hundreds of candidates who registered for the 2018 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME disturbed traffic along Bariga-Akoka Road, Lagos while protesting plans by the Joint Examinations and Matriculations Board (JAMB) to conduct the examination next month.

    Their grievances were also written on placards they borne, including; “Admissions are yet to close, why conducting another UTME now?”; “JAMB isn’t for revenue generation, stop milking our parents,” “2017 UTME held in May, why March in 2018?” “2018 admissions not transparent,” among others.

    They said many of them who had hoped to be admitted by various institutions during the 2017/2018 academic calendar year just found out this week that they were not admitted and that less than one month was insufficient to prepare for another examination.

    But JAMB insists the 2018 UTME will hold from March 9-17 in accordance with the timetable jointly set by all the examination bodies to avoid clashes and ensure that all admissions are concluded by August yearly.

    National President, Association of Tutorial School Operators (ATSO), Mr. Dotun Sodunke, who led the protest, said if the examination holds next month, many candidates would fail as they would be ill-prepared.

    He said JAMB should not only be concerned about generating revenue for the government but consider the time needed to prepare for the examination.

    Read Also: UTME 2018: JAMB to conduct mock test next week

    With institutions like the University of Benin, Yaba College of Technology, still processing their admission as at Wednesday, Shodunke said that candidates who had applied to such institutions but not yet admitted would not concentrate on preparation for another examination.

    He said; “The new head of JAMB needs to be called to order. He should not be carried away by the euphoria of revenue generation. The future of this country depends on these children. JAMB is sure that if you conduct the exam early, many candidates would fail, and they would come back to register again next year. This is so because their children don’t school here.

    “Admissions are yet to be concluded, yet you are fixing date for another one. Who does that? The introduction of the Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) is also a fraud. You would be admitted on JAMB portal and on CAPS page it would deny you admission. Everything is done in secrecy as we don’t even know which schools are organizing post-UTME and which ones are not. Every institution is doing what it wants. Things must not go on like this.”

    ‎However, JAMB’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, explained that there was no basis for the postponement being sought by the candidates, saying the date had been announced since lasr December.

    Benjamin said; “We need to place the interest of this country above selfish interest. The candidates are not the ones staging protest but the tutorial centres operators, and parents must intervene to rein them in. They are doing this because they want to keep the candidates at their centres till May so that they can get more money from them. Things are not done that way.

    “JAMB is not alone in this business. All stakeholders in Nigeria’s education sector have realised that our calendar must be organised and firm as we experience abroad, and it must start somewhere. Even if heaven will fall, the new government wants to ensure that academic calendar starts every August, and that is why all admissions will be concluded by August this year. So if these candidates are affected, we apologise to them, it is for their good and the good of the nation.‎”

    Benjamin urged the 245,000 candidates scheduled to take the Mock UTME on Monday to visit the website to reprint their slip ahead of the examination.