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  • UTME registration ends February 6 – JAMB

    UTME registration ends February 6 – JAMB

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board ( JAMB ) has fixed February 6 as deadline for the sale of registration form for this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination ( UTME ).

    JAMB registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, stated this at a meeting on strategic planning, supervision and evaluation of the conduct of UTME in Abuja, on Tuesday.

    He said only 283,319 candidates had so far registered for the examination out of the two million expected candidates.

    Read Also: JAMB accredits 72 centres for 2018 UTME in Lagos

    The Board also fixed March 9 to 17 for the conduct of the UTME in 620 computer based test centres across the country.

    Oloyede said: “Because of the criticisms that trailed the sale of entry form for a month in the past years, the Board has decided to earmark two months so that every willing candidate will be able to purchase, fill and submit the forms.

    “We opened entry from December 6, 2017 to February 6, 2018, but one month later, only less than a quarter of the two million candidates expected for the examination this year have registered.”

    He said the JAMB mock examination earlier slated for January 22 would now hold in first week of February.

     

  • JAMB accredits 72 centres for 2018 UTME in Lagos

    JAMB accredits 72 centres for 2018 UTME in Lagos

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board ( JAMB ) has accredited 72 centres in Lagos State for the 2018 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

    The State Coordinator of JAMB, Mr Sunday Aladegbaye, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos that 63 centres were accredited for the examination in 2017.

    He said the increase indicated that more candidates were likely to participate in 2018 Computer Based UTME.

    “”Preparations are in top gear for the examination in the state.

    “”We have accredited 72 centres that have met our requirements for the conduct of the mock and the main examination in 2018.

    “”But this figure can increase,’’ Aladegbaye said.

    He warned mischief makers to desist from setting up strange centres for registration to defraud innocent Nigerians.

    “”Experience has shown that some group of persons would create a strange website in the name of JAMB and be registering candidates to defraud them.

    ““This is misleading just as it is criminal.

    Read Also: JAMB remits N3b more to Federation Account

     “”We also wish to reach out to candidates to go to only approved centres for their registrations.

    “”We (JAMB) will not be accountable for anything that happens to them.’’

    The JAMB official said that the board would prosecute any person or group of persons caught operating any illegal or unaccredited registration centre for its examinations.

    He said the board was prosecuting a fraudster in court for allegedly registering candidates for the 2017 UTME.

    “”He operated the centre at a place very close to our Lagos office on Ojora way in Lagos.

    ““When he was caught, he did not show any remorse for his action.

    ““We will continue with the case until justice is achieved to serve as a deterrent to others.

    ““We are a credible organisation and feel strongly that things should be done the right way and with due process.

    “”It is only logical that any person or persons willing to do business with JAMB, go through the right channel in order not to cause Nigerians pains,’’ he said.

  • 50 prison inmates to write 2018 UTME

    50 prison inmates to write 2018 UTME

    No fewer than 50 prison inmates will sit for the 2018 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination ( UTME ), according to an official.

    The Principal, Ikoyi Prisons School, Mr Idris Ibikunle, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Lagos.

    According to him, the school has prepared the inmates well for the examination as officials of the facility have stepped up efforts in ensuring an excellent performance.

    “Right now, we are preparing about 50 of the inmates for the next UTME and by what I see, they are very determined to excel.

    “We are yet to enrol them for the examination proper; we want to give a little more room for others interested so we can do the enrolment once.

    “I am optimistic that we will enrol more than 50 of the inmates for the examination,’’ Ibikunle said.

    Earlier this year, 59 inmates were registered for the 2017 UTME . Thirty-five passed  and  they are at various stages of  admission placement into tertiary institutions.

    Ibikunle also said 40 inmates were being prepared for the newly introduced 2018 January/February diet of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for private candidates.

    According to him, prisons officials were committed to ensuring that the inmates had nothing to lose, academically, despite their incarceration.

    NAN recalls that the principal had, at the maiden edition of the facility’s Education Award ceremony recently in Lagos, said 20 of the inmates were running various courses in different disciplines at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

    He said they were posting impressive performances in their chosen fields, ranging from Criminology, Security and Peace Studies, Theology, Business Administration to Mass Communication.

  • Unilag postpones candidates’ screening

    Unilag postpones candidates’ screening

    Strike by non-academic staff of universities  has compelled the University of Lagos ( Unilag ) to postpone screening of Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination ( UTME ) candidates which was billed to start on Monday.

    The screening, earlier scheduled to end on December 15, is for the 2017/2018 academic session.

    In a statement signed in Lagos by Mrs Taiwo Oloyede, a Senior Assistant Registrar of the institution, Unilag said that the screening was postponed indefinitely.

    It said that the strike disrupted academic and administrative activities in the university.

    JAC began the strike also on Monday.

    “The postponement is indefinite; a new date will be announced. “Candidates are enjoined to check the university’s website regularly for updates,” it said.

    Reports say the strike was embarked on by the three non-academic labour unions in the university.

    The unions are Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities ( SSANU ), Non Academic Staff Union of Universities and Associated Institutions (NASU) and National Association of Academic Technologists ( NAAT ).

    The three unions downed tools under the aegis of the Joint Action Committee ( JAC ).

    Read also: Buhari urges universities to justify governments’ investment

    Meanwhile, the National President of SSANU, Mr Samson Ugwoke, said the strike was comprehensive, total and indefinite.

    According to him, the strike resulted from Federal Government’s failure to take action on the September 20 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) it signed with the unions.

    “It is not just the issue of allowance that we are talking about but also the issue of implementation of a court judgment on our staff schools as well as the issue of acute shortfall in workers’ salaries.

    “Most of our people were laid off unjustifiably; they are yet to be reinstated in the university’s payroll.

    “We are tired of being tossed around or seen as not important in the running of the university. We are as important as any other union within the system and need to be given that recognition.

    “After several negotiations with the government, we expected that it sees the need to honour whatever agreement reached, but the reverse is the case,” he said,’’ Ugwoke, also the Chairman of the JAC, said.

    According to the union leader, activities in Nigerian public universities would be paralysed until JAC achieves its aim.

    A former Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities ( SSANU ), Prince Oriwaye Adefolalu, said JAC would not call of the strike until its demands would were met.

    “This morning, we had to shut the gate of the University of Lagos in compliance with a directive from our national executive committee.

    “We are indeed not happy with what is going in our universities. We should be seen as a very critical component in the administration of the universities.

    “While ASUU is in charge of research and academics, we are in charge of the administration, security, medical and general maintenance of infrastructure in the system.

    “We should be treated fairly as there is no way the university can work perfectly without us.’’

    NAN

  • JAMB to meet with stakeholders on UTME

    JAMB to meet with stakeholders on UTME

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

    Its spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Lagos that the meeting, scheduled to hold in Abuja, would brainstorm on the conduct of the examination and identify possible areas for review.

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

    “We are also expecting top media executives, state commissioners of education and heads of colleges of education.

    “Other stakeholders expected at the meeting are labour unions of Nigeria universities such as ASUU, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), among others,’’ he said

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

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

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

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

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

  • Prof Chinedum, female, Chrisland new VC

    Prof Chinedum, female, Chrisland new VC

    The new Vice-Chancellor of the Chrisland University, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Prof. Chinedum Peace Babalola, has assumed office with a call on the Federal Government to list private universities as part of beneficiaries in the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).

    Chinedum said private universities in the country have continued to supplement the efforts of both federal and state governments institutions, by providing tertiary education to Nigerian youths who do not have access to admission, as a result of the quota system, Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) cut off marks.

    The Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacokinetics, made the call at her inaugural address at the institution’s campus, explaining that private universities needed TETFUND’s intervention urgently in the areas of financial resources and infrastructure, according to a release by the institution’s Registrar, Abiodun ‘Lawale, and made available to The Nation.

    In her speech themed: “This is our new season indeed. The season of glory and new things for Chrisland University,” she said there would be a total review of the curriculum of the university to meet the 21st century needs.

    She explained that this would help equip students to compete effectively with global standards and undertake innovative projects while staff development would be enhanced via training in new ways of curriculum writing, teaching, research and learning methods.

    According to her, more active and case-based approach would also be explored.

    The former Head of Head of Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Ibadan, also urged private universities to organise themselves if they intend to begin specialised institutions, as is obtainable in Federal Government institutions.

  • 21,650 write UI post-UTME exam

    21,650 write UI post-UTME exam

    No fewer than 21, 650 candidates on Saturday sat for the University of Ibadan 2017 Post-UTME examination, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

    A NAN Correspondent, who monitored the examination, reports that the exercise which commenced on Oct. 20 was rounded up on Oct. 21.

    NAN reports that the two-day exercise witnessed heavy vehicular and human activities, as the exercise was conducted in various faculties and departments of the university.

    Some of the candidates, who spoke with NAN, commended the university management for providing conducive environment for the exercise.

    One of the candidates, Omololu Ayinde, told NAN that the examination was free and fair, expressing optimism of success in the examination.

    “At the beginning, I was a bit restless when I saw the number of candidates that will participate in the screening.

    “Right now, I just finished writing the examination. I am very happy and optimistic of success,’’ Ayinde said.

    Also, Oyidamola Pedro, who came from Lagos for the examination, told NAN that she was prepared for a computer based-test, but was surprised to see that it was written manually.

    The university’s Director of Communications, Mr Olatunji Oladejo, who also monitored the examination, described it as very successful.

    Oladejo said that the university’s Senate Committee on post-UTME screening would decide the number of candidates to be offered admission for the 2017/2018. (NAN)

  • JAMB plans deployment of malpractice device for future examination

    JAMB plans deployment of malpractice device for future examination

    The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says the deployment of the CCTV device during the annual examinations had come to stay to tackle examination malpractice.

    Prof. Is’haq Oloyede, the board’s Registrar, made this known on the side-line of a two-day International Summit on Examination Malpractice which ended on Friday in Lagos.

    The summit, organised by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), has the theme: “Examination Malpractice; the Contemporary Realities and Antidotes.”

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) also quotes the registrar as disclosing that the deployment of the CCTV device during JAMB examinations had come to stay.

    “It is in line with this kind of development that the board has concluded arrangements to create centres for examination malpractice devices for future examinations,’’ he said.

    According to Oloyede, the use of the CCTV for the first time during the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), further consolidated its quest to ensure quality, equity and integrity.

    “There will be no compromise whatsoever.

    “Without the deployment of the CCTV, one will just be making a mockery of the computer-based test (CBT).

    “This device has ensured that even if a cheating candidate was not caught during the examination, such candidate will be caught after the examination.

    “We will continue to ensure that with education, one can achieve everything and without it, one can achieve nothing.

    “It, therefore, goes to tell that each one of us must strive to achieve what is good, giving the significance of life and living,’’ NAN quotes Oloyede as saying.

    He added that examination malpractice was a general malaise, the world over.

    The registrar noted that it was a global phenomenon that must be tackled urgently.

    “I have statistics, which shows that what we have in Nigeria on examination malpractice is concerned, is a child’s play when compared to what is happening in other climes.

    “Today with the aid of technological devices for cheating such as smart watches and others the phenomenon is becoming alarming.

    “But in our own case, as these children are getting wiser, we too are getting ahead of them,’’ he said.

    The registrar also called for adequate preparations and courseware development in order to stamp out the menace of examination malpractice.

  • Reps to probe JAMB cut-off mark

    Reps to probe JAMB cut-off mark

    The House of Representatives has mandated its Committee on Tertiary Education and Services to investigate the circumstances surrounding the reduction of JAMB cut-off mark for admitting candidates into tertiary institutions.

    This followed a motion by Rep Hassan Saleh (Benue-APC) on the “Need to Investigate the Reduction in the Cut-off Marks for Admissions into Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria’’ at plenary on Tuesday.

    The committee is expected to report back findings within four weeks, was directed to determine whether the cut-off mark reduction would lower the standard of education in the country.

    Moving the motion, Saleh expressed concern that the new policy was bound to lower the standard and quality of education from the tertiary institutions.

    According to him, many candidates who perform poorly in Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) can secure admission through nepotism, bribery and corruption while many other candidates who perform excellently can be denied admission.

    Saleh said that in spite of the fact that more than 500,000 candidates scored above 200 marks, representing 50 percent of the total mark, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) reduced cut-off mark to 120.

    He said that the cut-off mark represented only 30 percent of the total examination mark of 400, adding that 100 marks fixed for Polytechnics and Colleges of Education was 25 percent of the total mark.

    In his contribution, Rep Ahmed Pategi (Kwara-APC) disagreed with the motion, saying that the decision taken by JAMB was in order.

    Pategi said that all stakeholders in tertiary education were in agreement with JAMB on the new policy.

    He added that it was unfair to deny a child admission into higher institution simply on his/her UTME score even after eleven years of basic education and possession of five credits, including in English Language and Mathematics.

    Other lawmakers supported the motion and called for a reversal of the policy, saying universities were supposed to be centres of excellence for learning, hence the need to always admit the best candidates.

    According to them, it will be in order to produce graduates that can compete favourably with their peers anywhere in the World.

    Rep. Afe Oluwookere (Ondo-APC) described the new policy as “highly detrimental’’ to the country’s push for economic growth and development.

    On their parts, Reps. Henry Archibong, Rita Orji and Abubakar Chika called for the scraping of JAMB and the UTME.

    They stated that lowering cut-off marks for admission into tertiary institutions was a signal that the Board had outlived its usefulness.

    The lawmakers also accused JAMB of buckling under pressure from privately owned universities, many of whom were seeking to increase the number of yearly admissions into their schools.

    Rep. Abubakar Chika (Niger-APC), a former lecturer at the Polytechnic, said it was highly disappointing that JAMB could succumb to pressure from private institutions, which he alleged had long pushed for cut-off marks to be lowered.

    “Let me even open up, this decision was taken because of private universities. They usually need to admit the children of the rich, who are not ready to work hard,’’ he said.

    Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, announced that a minimum of 120 marks in the UTME would be required for placement of candidates into universities, while 100 marks were needed for placement into Polytechnics or Colleges of Education.

    The announcement followed the August 22 policy meeting between JAMB, heads of tertiary institutions and other stakeholders, on modalities for the conduct of admissions into tertiary institutions for the 2017/2018 academic session.

  • UTME score no guarantee for admission – Registrar

    UTME score no guarantee for admission – Registrar

    The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says that only a combination of JAMB cut-off marks, post-UTME, O’ level results and other admission criteria as determined by institutions can ensure candidates’ admission.

    Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, the JAMB registrar, disclosed this at an intensive Training and Sensitisation Forum on Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) for the 2017/2018 academic session on Thursday in Abuja.
    Oloyede said that scoring higher than the minimum cut-off marks did not guarantee admission but made candidates eligible for admission consideration.
    He added that institutions determined the institutional, programme and course cut-off marks and other admission criteria in exercise of their autonomy.
    According to him, the cut-off mark by JAMB is only a threshold below which no institution can admit candidates.
    “JAMB is not an examination body rather it is a ranking body. If there are enough spaces in the tertiary institutions there may not be need for UTME.
    “ JAMB is a screening body to rank already qualified candidates. It is a coordinating and clearing house.
    “The cut-off mark is not a pass or fail mark. It is not the total score but one of many factors such as post-UTME (where applicable), O’ Level results scoring, e.t.c.,” he explained.
    He added that regulating agencies such as the National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), among others could decide the admission quota for institutions.
    He further explained that JAMB introduced CAPS so as to ensure that every UTME candidate got fair treatment.
    Oloyede said with CAPS, candidates now have the choice to either accept or reject admission offer.
    He, however, advised candidates to ensure that they indicate the acceptance or rejection of admission online and timely to enable the processing of onward admission.
    He, therefore, urged institutions to comply with their advertised criteria for admission including the cut-off marks.
    Oloyede also said that Nigeria operated the same system of admission procedure with other countries such as China, Iran, Republic of Georgia, Spain and Turkey.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that JAMB in Aug. 22, at the policy meeting by institutions decided to peg the 2017/2018 UTME cut-off marks for degree awarding institutions at 120.
    The meeting also pegged at 100 cut-off marks for admissions for National Diploma (ND) and Nigerian Certificate in Education (NCE), among others.