No going back on computer-based UTME – JAMB

Joint Admission and Matriculation Board

UTME in 2015 would be computer based.

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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, on Monday said it would not go back on its decision to make the 2015 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, entirely computer-based.

The JAMB Registrar, Dibu Ojerinde, said this in an interview in Lagos.

Mr. Ojerinde said this on sideline of a three-day National Conference on Science, Technology and Mathematics, STM, Education.

The conference was organised by the Department of Science and Technology Education, University of Lagos, with the theme, Application of New Technologies in Science, Technology and Mathematics Education.

According to the registrar, there was no going back on the proposed Computer-Based Test, CBT, for all UTME candidates in 2015.

“Preparations are on top gear to ensure that the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, is successful. I want to assure the public that we are working round the clock to ensure that we record huge success during our 2015 all computer-based test. We are creating more centres nationwide in addition to the existing ones. This is to ensure a successful migration into the CBT mode, and ensure that prospective candidates are carried along,” he said.

The registrar said that JAMB was looking forward to having about 1.6 million prospective candidates for the examination nationwide in 2015.

“These include the visually impaired, who we have also taken into consideration as we prepare for the examination,” he said.

Mr. Ojerinde said that there would be a slight shift in the date for the examination in view of the 2015 general elections.

According to him, the examination may come up in March instead of April.

Mr. Ojerinde advised prospective candidates not to register at cyber cafes to avoid problems.

He said that the 156 centres approved for the UTME nationwide would henceforth serve as registration points for the examination. He said that would minimise the atrocities being perpetrated by operators of unapproved café.

Earlier, in his keynote address at the conference, Mr. Ojerinde said that the board had introduced innovative assessment practices in line with best practices.

He said JAMB had become a pace-setter in the application of technology, but noted that the CBT administration as a paperless test mode was not without challenges.

“The board has faced the challenge of having skeptics in the system. Lots of stakeholders cannot fathom how the technology will work, giving the challenges of erratic power supply and lack of electricity in some rural areas,” Mr. Ojerinde said.

Earlier, Uju Esiobu, the Acting Head, Department of Science and Technology Education of the University of Lagos, said that the conference was organised to discuss ways ICT could be used in transforming STM education.

Mr. Esiobu said that it would also provide a forum for researchers and policy makers to share and transmit ideas, research results and practical experiences on the use of ICT.

(NAN)