Between JAMB and Computer Based Test initiative

The initiative would be fully implemented next year, according to Mr. Fabian Benjamin, head of information section of the board. “We have been on trial since 2013 and by now we are satisfied with the processes and our level of preparedness and by 2015 we will be going full blown and beside the federal government, […]

The initiative would be fully implemented next year, according to Mr. Fabian Benjamin, head of information section of the board.
“We have been on trial since 2013 and by now we are satisfied with the processes and our level of preparedness and by 2015 we will be going full blown and beside the federal government, through the National Council on Education, has given us approval to go CBT as that is where the whole world is going.
“Last week we were in Ghana at the instance of WAEC to tell the world about the system. We are fully prepared for its full implementation next year,” he stated.
Benjamin explained that the registration exercise for the 2014/2015 JAMB examination commenced on September 15, 2014 and will end on January 15, 2015, while the exams will commence in March.
He said the board has discovered with dismay that malpractice is being done at registration point, hence resolved to computerise its system for better result.
The CBT, he added, has reduced fraudulent activities in JAMB examinations tremendously, as the board recorded zero malpractice during the 2013/2014 JAMB examinations.
Daily Trust gathered that JAMB approximately tests 1.6 million candidates annually, but unlike other examination agencies that usually conduct their exams in a day, JAMB conducts its own in sequence.
However, the board is now planning to unify its exams nationwide by reducing the number of candidates per centre to at least 150 candidates, according to Benjamin.
To achieve that, the board has accredited 177 venues as registration centres across the country. These comprise the 400 CBT centres established by the board nationwide, the JAMB zonal offices and tertiary institutions located in states.
It was discovered that six out of the 177 centres are located abroad with one each in Saudi Arabia, UK, Cameroon, Ghana, Benin Republic and Cote d’Ivoire, thus, only 171 registration centres are to cater for the over one million candidates in Nigeria.
The number of candidates being tested by the JAMB annually shows over 8,000 candidates are expected to register in a centre when the system is fully implemented next year. Although state governments and private partners are establishing more centres, yet, 8000 candidates are still many to be accommodated in just one centre.
Mr. Benjamin said many states, particularly in the South, got many centres because various private partners in the region have keyed into the investment.
Daily Trust gathered that so far Katsina and Jigawa states have constructed six additional centres, one in each senatorial zone of the two states, while Niger State has promised to build four in each senatorial zone.
However, few days to the full implementation of the initiative, stakeholders in the education sector have expressed concern about the level of preparedness of the board to sustain the system.
A section of stakeholders and students interviewed by Daily Trust, emphasised the need for Nigerians to be fully aware of the new system of designing centres, as introduced by JAMB.
A university lecturer, Dr. M U. Ndagi said: “Many people wonder at how Ogun State, for instance, got 15 registration centres which is equivalent to the total number of such centres in 6 northern states (of Taraba 3; Sokoto 2; Zamfara 3; Gombe 2; Bauchi 3; and Borno 2).
“Was it also demographic factors or schools’ statistics that gave Lagos 13 registration centres and left Kano with only 5? What also is the factor that allocated 7 centres to Edo State and 3 centres only to Enugu State? How come Plateau and Kebbi states each got 2 centres while Bayelsa State has 4? Why are the northern states of Jigawa, Nasarawa and Kogi having only one centre each?” he questioned.
He added that “the greatest threat to JAMB’s decision is the current state of unstable supply of electricity in many parts of the country. CBT may not be easy in an educational system where students in their 6th year of secondary education especially in public schools may never have on their own started and shutdown a computer machine.
“How could students have had any basic literacy in ICT when many school principals do not have even one desktop in their offices? Talking of computer appreciation among students would be considered ambitious by a government that sees nothing wrong in failing to equip laboratories and libraries,” the lecturer noted.
Dr Ndagi added that beside the power outage that is more critical in villages, internet coverage is yet to cover many villages and sub-urban towns which schools serve as examination centres and that the country’s unsecured cyberspace is another threat to the CBT which conduct depends on the internet.
“Fraudsters could hack the website and get examination questions filtered to millions of smart phones. For all these challenges, it is better that JAMB, in the actualisation of its ambition, errs on the side of caution,” he advised.
A candidate for next year’s JAMB, A’isha Sani, who has already registered with the body said there is need for effective sensitisation, as many of them, according to her, are not aware of the new arrangement.
“Let me start by saying that I did not face any major challenge in purchasing the JAMB scratch card up to the point of registration. I just went to one of the banks here in Zaria and bought the scratch card before proceeding to an internet cafe where they charged me N500 for registration.
“After the registration, they printed out a copy indicating evidence of registration. In this form, we were told to log in again to JAMB website in February 2015 to know our centres of examination.
“With the number of candidates that are buying the JAMB form, it would be really a crisis if, for example, Zaria has only one centre. I don’t think the exams would be possible if all candidates in Zaria are asked to write the exam in just one centre,” Miss Sani said.
She added: “My advice is for JAMB to engage in elaborate sensitisation for all and sundry to know about the full implementation of CBT next year so that more centres will be established by private partners, otherwise many candidates risk missing the examination.”
Malam Jibril Jushi, a father, said he had a horrible experience about JAMB this year (2014), saying “it was horrible because I had to take my two daughters to different states. One was taken to Zamfara while the other one went to Sokoto.
“I have seen hell, because apart from the money spent, there were serious inconveniences that we encountered. It is therefore very necessary if our people understand this new system and more of these centres are opened.
“This would assist our children and the education system in general. It would also open doors for business for our people.”
On his part, the Academic Secretary of the Federal College of Education, Zaria, Malam Aliyu Abdullahi Galadima, said he is aware of many JAMB recognised centres in Zaria.
“I know that Iya Abubakar Computer Centre in the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria is a recognised centre by JAMB. There is another one in the Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic and Dagamas Legacy School all in Zaria. Therefore people can open these centres, as the conditions are not all that difficult to meet,” Malam Galadima said.