UTME continues amid complaints of faulty gadgets

A total of 1,662, 762 candidates seeking admission into higher institutions are writing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) prepared by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in 605 Computer- Based Test (CBT) Centres nationwide. The exam which started on March 9 will end on March 19.  Greater part of the applicants intend to […]

A total of 1,662, 762 candidates seeking admission into higher institutions are writing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) prepared by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in 605 Computer- Based Test (CBT) Centres nationwide. The exam which started on March 9 will end on March 19. 

Greater part of the applicants intend to pursue degree courses at the universities while the remaining will study courses at the polytechnics, colleges of education and other institutions of higher learning.

Latest findings show that while the exams went smoothly in many of the centres, they were delayed in few. 

In Plateau State, several candidates told Daily Trust that the examination went on smoothly as the officials were better organised and technical faults reduced to a minimum. 

At the University of Jos Consultancy Centre, a candidate, Sa’adatu Musa Abubakar, told our correspondent that there was a short delay after the biometric devices failed to accept some thumbprints.

She said the exercise was well organised and commendable because some computer systems that shut off were quickly fixed.  

At another the Federal College of Forestry centre, our correspondent observed that candidates took the exams in two batches. There were 250 candidates per session. 

During the afternoon session, Moses Chindo said he was writing the exam on second attempt and stressed that, “From the level of organisation and from what I heard on Friday, it seems the exam body is better prepared this year. I learnt there were technical faults with the systems on Friday but they were quickly rectified.” 

In Kaduna State, few centres were said to have started the exam at least two hours behind schedule on Monday desspite arrival of candidates on time. 

One of the candidates, Maryam, at Grays International School, said her exam which was supposed to commence by 9am was delayed till 11am. She also noted that some of the candidates had problems with their computer systems, but that the faulty devices were quickly replaced. 

Another candidate at the Women’s Multi-purpose Hall, Kaduna, said the only challenge with the exam was the late commencement, saying her exam scheduled for 9am did not start until 11am.  

Shedrack Gideon and another candidate who gave his name as Kenneth also said there was no challenge in the course of writing the exam apart from lateness.

A supervisor, Safiya Ibrahim, said, “The only reason why we didn’t start at the exact scheduled time was because of a problem with the thumbprint device, but every other thing went as planned.”

In Kogi State, at the CBT centre in Yabma International Science Academy, Lokoja, the examination was conducted efficiently. A candidate, Ogwuche Daniel Enemona, said he experienced a little network problem which was resolved and was able to complete within the time allotted to him. 

On his part, Adamu Mohammed said the sitting arrangement and everything about the test was alright. 

Another candidate complained that her system logged off in the course of the test but that the problem was addressed. 

A JAMB official at the centre, Mr. Usman Yisa, told Daily Trust that the exercise had been peaceful. 

Yisa said there were nine examination centres across the state located in Lokoja, Ajaokuta, Idah, Anyigba, Ankpa, Okene and Kabba.

He said they could not put a centre at the Federal University, Lokoja, as they did in the previous year due to the ongoing strike action by the non-teaching staff. 

Our correspondent observed that CCTV cameras were mounted at the exam centres to monitor candidates. There were also security personnel at all the centres.

JAMB Registrar, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, had said the results would be delayed by few days to fish out those that cheated in the exams.

In Kano, apart from delay in the commencement of the examination, the exercise was smooth in all the centres visited. 

However, it was learnt that in one centre, there were few cases of impersonation which were appropriately handled.

At Vitae Computer Institute along Airport Road, an official said, “We were supposed to start at 7:45am but due to some candidates’ attitude of late coming, we are behind schedule.” 

Also, at Moslimah Institute of Information Technology, another official said one of the major causes of delay was the biometric data scanner that took some time to recognise some candidates and even rejected some completely.

A candidate at Pioneer ICT centre, Aminu Ibrahim, said his major challenge with the CBT was that he was not conversant with computer, but hoped that he would be assisted to log on.

An official at the centre, Alhaji Babangida, said technical assistants helped candidates on how to operate computer.

Muhammad Bashir, another candidate, told Daily Trust that, “I don’t have any problem with JAMB examination because I have experience. This is not my first time to write JAMB. However, I observed that some candidates are not conversant with CBT.”

Speaking to Daily Trust, a former Registrar of JAMB, Professor Bello A. Salim, said there had been vast improvements compared to previous years.

Prof. Salim, while monitoring the exercise at Vitae ICT centre, said, “We are not there yet, but you know progress is gradual and we have to adapt to it.”

However, Salim called for the establishment of more CBT centres in the state, noting that, “The centres are severely inadequate. If we can have five times of what we have on ground, it will be better.”

In some centres in Benin, Edo State, the exam was conducted with no trouble. 

Hope Egboche at Dan Civic and Mila Isah at Airport Road said the examinations was done without difficulty. 

At the Polytechnic, Ibadan, Oyo State, a candidate, Atinuke Ojo, said though she was not good at computer operation, the process was simple and interesting. 

Ojo said; “It was very interesting and simple. It required little or no computer experience before you can write it. The only challenge I had was the distance from my house to the venue of the exam. My daddy had to stay with me till the end of the exam, as you can see him up there. I will urge the examiners to consider those of us who are living in far places before giving out centres.”

At the Adebayo Akande centre, University of Ibadan, another candidate, Saheed Hammed, said the exam was peaceful.

Alabi Ayomide who was at the University of Ibadan said though she had not written the examination on Monday, but had received several messages from JAMB rescheduling her centre. “I am here today to confirm the centre. The first print out was Igbo Oloyin area, but yesterday, I received another message from JAMB that UI here is my centre. I don’t know why they are confused like that,” she said.

Nine candidates were so far affected at a centre in Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, and there were other unascertained victims at the Umaru Shinkafi Polytechnic centre.

“We have made every effort to correct the abnormality to no avail because the machine is not identifying their finger prints, “one of the supervisors at the JAMB centre at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University said.

He added that, “But we have collected copies of their slips and sent to the national headquarters. I am sure they will do something about their case,” the supervisor said and hoped that their exams would be rescheduled.