The Chairman, Governing Board of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Dr. Emmanuel Ndukwe has assured candidates and stakeholders that JAMB will conduct a hitch-free 2019 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Dr. Ndukwe, who gave the assurance in Lagos while monitoring the ongoing registration for the 2019 UTME, said JAMB is prepared to conduct a smooth and hitch free UTME, starting from March 16.
The CBT centres visited by the JAMB chairman and the monitoring team were Ha-Shem Academy, Onike, Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka and Electronic Test Company (ETC), Ikorodu Road. Candidates’ interview by Dr, Ndukwe said they paid the official fee of N4, 700 and that no extra money was demanded by the CBT operators.
His words: ‘’I am happy with what I saw at the three CBT centres visited. Even the candidates were pleased with what JAMB has done. From my interactions with some of the candidates, they were charged the normal fee. The Registrar is right in barring Cyber cafes from handling the UTME.
‘’We are determined to conduct a hitch-free UTME. The board has started well with the ongoing registration. So far, no major hitches, registration is smoothly ongoing nationwide.
‘’We are monitoring the CBT centres to address any challenges, including network issue and fraud. On our part, we are ready and that is why I am going round to ensure that CBT centres comply with JAMB guidelines. We are monitoring the CBT centres, we do regular security check on them.
‘’People like to cut corners, most of the fraudulent practices took place in the Cyber cafes and once JAMB management found out, they were banned from handling the ongoing 2019 UTME registration. If any CBT operator is caught, such CBT will be sanctioned and others will learn.’’
According to him, when the board introduced computer test, many people thought it will not work and demanded the return to manual (paper) registration and examination, adding it has worked and such people have remained silent’’.
The Center Manger of Ha-Shem Academy, Mrs. Marie Akpenyi explained to the JAMB chairman the processes candidate go through to register and that the centre does not charge the candidates extra money. She further revealed that parents are not allowed into the centre.
Proprietress of the center, Mrs. Mojisola Shodunke said since the centre started registration of candidates, the network has not disappointed and that they have registered over 7,000 UTME applicants while the centre can accommodate 250 candidates for the UTME.
A candidate, Usman Abdullahi said it took him about 10 minutes to go through the registration process and confirmed that he did not pay extra money.
At FCET Akoka, the centre coordinator, Mr. Hamed Ayinla said the centre has overcome the initial network problem. He explained that over 2,300 UTME applicants have been registered while on average, 80 candidates are registered daily and 250 are slated to write the 2019 UTME.
The director of ETC, Mr. Jibola Bankole said the centre has not experienced any network problem and that they register about 150 applicants everyday while over 5,000 candidates have been registered in the two centres approved for ETC by JAMB.
Bankole, who gave pass mark to the ongoing registration exercise for the 2019 UTME, said it takes not less 10 minutes to register an applicant and also revealed how the centre handled two physical challenged candidates by capturing them outside.
The centre Manager, Mr. Olufemi Amuda said during the UTME, the CCTV cameras will be put on to enable JAMB monitor the examination while the detector will be switched on to detect candidates with phone or watch in the exam hall.
A candidate, Arogbo Michael, told The Education Report that he paid normal fee and that operator of the centre did not demand for extra pay. He commended JAMB for making the registration process flexible.