Re: Schools of Tamba []II]

I write to correct the erroneous impression by Adamu Adamu in his Friday, 7th August, 2015 column titled, “Schools of Tamba”. Malam Adamu asserted that the Computer Based Test (CBT) mode of conducting public examination, which he agreed has the antidote to examination malpractice, was determined to take the sail out of the many groundbreaking […]

I write to correct the erroneous impression by Adamu Adamu in his Friday, 7th August, 2015 column titled, “Schools of Tamba”. Malam Adamu asserted that the Computer Based Test (CBT) mode of conducting public examination, which he agreed has the antidote to examination malpractice, was determined to take the sail out of the many groundbreaking innovations by the government of His Excellency Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State.
This write-up is not intended to create some misgivings about the positive development in Sokoto by the governor, neither is it to attack Adamu’s construct but to use the opportunity to further shed light on the many misconception on the Computer Based Test in the write-up. Adamu has a privileged position in the media and, if he has an impression that is wrong it should be immediately corrected so as not to mislead his numerous readers.
The introduction of Computer Based Test by JAMB was as a result of the dwindling confidence on public examinations in the country. The Board being the gate-keeper was concerned that education was taking nose-dive for the worse as a result of innovations by perpetrators of examination irregularities.
The Board began the quest to address the situation by introducing a number of innovations aimed at curbing the menace of examination malpractices; it introduced the usage of Biometric Verification Machine (BVM) when candidates thumb was taken to match. It embossed photo on candidates’ attendance register and subsequently their results and the use of scanners etc, yet all these could not sufficiently address the challenges.
The thought to begin Computer Based Test by the Board was first conceived in 2007, first tried in 2013 UTME with two other modes, the traditional Paper Pencil Test and Dual Based Test. This was again repeated in 2014 and with a promise to go full-blown in 2015. The grace period for the trial was followed with adequate publicity where the Board visited stakeholders and urged them to key into the policy as it is the only solution to the corruption associated with the conduct of public examination. There was massive sensitization on the new examination regime.
Today, the conduct of CBT has vindicated the Board as stakeholders have applauded the initiative and are calling for the consolidation of the policy in all public examination sectors of the country so as to harmonize its positive advantages. West African Examination Council (WAEC), National Examinations Council (NECO) etc, have all put in place machineries to begin the conduct of their examinations on CBT. Computer Based Test is a global trend in education and it’s one of the best things that JAMB has done for the examination industry.
Examination malpractice is at a standstill. Multinational companies and other agencies of government are engaging the Board to conduct their selection and promotion examination because of the confidence on the Board.
It’s erroneous to think that one needs to be computer literate to write Computer Based examination. The system is as flexible as operating a mobile phone and the primary objective is to eradicate malpractice and other unwholesome practices which include impersonation, incomplete result and other vices associated with Paper Pencil examination which is a form of corruption in the examination business. These are benefits which Adamu also acknowledged.
Experience has even shown that most candidates, who had never seen a computer before, sat for the examination after a brief tutorial, asked questions where necessary and did very well with excellent results. It will be fool-hardy if policies are jettisoned because certain individuals are not prepared intellectually for such policy. Policy drives a nation and not the other way round.  Policies are introduced and elements in the society follow and prepare themselves to meet the requirement. Three years was good enough for stakeholders to prepare for the coming of the most celebrated policy in the education sector today. Whatever is necessary for this policy to succeed should be put on Board and not for anybody to begin to insinuate a return to the older order.
It’s imperative to state here clearly that no candidate that registered to sit for the 2015 UTME that did not write the examination. Except if the candidate opted out on his or her own volition. Centres were available to accommodate every prospective candidate and the examination was staggered in a way that candidates were scheduled different times and days so much that even when a candidate misses a scheduled time, such a candidate with valid reason can be rescheduled, this is one of the beauties of the policy and it does not compromise the quality and standard of the examination as candidates answer different questions calibrated to the same level.
Dr Benjamin is JAMB’s Head of Information