Parents and students have applauded the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board for the conduct of the 2018 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
They commended JAMB for the security measures put in place at the various Computer Based Test centres and steps taken to check examination malpractices.
Two weeks ago, JAMB successfully conducted the mock test for this year’s UTME to familiarise candidates with the computer based test system.
However, our correspondent, who went round some of the CBT centres on Friday and Saturday, observed members of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and plain cloth security operatives frisking candidates for the UTME examination with scanners as they filed orderly into the CBT centres.
I really want to commend the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede
Also, parents and guardians stayed away from the examination centres, with some of them seen at several metres from the CBT centres, waiting for their children and wards.
Also many of the candidates adhered to the rules of the examination as many of them did not come to the CBT centres with the prohibited items.
A parent, whose child wrote her examination at one of the ICT centres in Agege, Lagooz Schools, Mrs. Fatima Owoseni, noted that the manner with which the examination body conducted this year’s UTME was impressive.
Owoseni noted that in previous years, UTME examination centres were always rowdy but this year’s version had been peacefully conducted as it was devoid of the activities of touts and “mercenaries,” who perpetrated examination malpractices.
“I really want to commend the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, for his exemplary leadership in moving the examination body forward. Gone are the days when JAMB centres were always filled with people, parents and touts trying to aid students to cheat. This time around, security was tightened and the examinations went on peacefully. In fact, the introduction of CCTV cameras around exam centres forced parents around the CBT centres to be cautious and be of good behavior,” she said.
Another parent, who brought his child to the WAEC CBT Centre at the Agidingbi area of Lagos, and simply gave his name as Henry, told our correspondent that the conduct of this year’s UTME was a true reflection of the fact that there was hope for Nigeria’s education sector.
He added that all other stakeholders of the sector should brace and work towards the revamping of the sector.
He said, “I thought the Nigerian education sector had collapsed totally, but with the way JAMB has conducted the examination twice within two weeks, and since we have witnessed how it went without hitches and with our children saying they wrote the exam without fear, then there is still hope.
“Even the few parents that brought their children were not allowed around the vicinity of the CBT centres, a measure which greatly checked malpractices. With what I have seen, then it means there is hope for our education sector. I think with good leadership and administration by our leaders, things will work out well. There is no gainsaying the fact that JAMB has proved to us, beyond doubts, that there is hope for our education.”
A candidate, who wrote her UTME at Lufem Systems Ltd CBT centre at Oko Oba, Agege, noted that the measures JAMB put in place to check cheating and disorderliness were commendable as the examination went well without hitches.
“At my centre, there was no opportunity for any student to misbehave as the Civil Defence officials and the youth corps members were extremely thorough while searching us before we went into the hall for the examination. Even the invigilators were orderly in directing us during the examination,” she said.
The President of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, Chief Yomi Otubela, also commended the examination body for making adequate preparations towards the conduct of the 2018 UTME.
Otubela added the CBT centres, the centres used in the conduct of the examination, were tested and confirmed to be of reputable standard, saying that this would reflect in the performance of the candidates in the examinations.
“The examination body has really taken its time to make sure the CBT centres were equipped with security gadgets and up to standard such that candidates didn’t have to worry about their scores by the time the results come out,” he said.
Otubela enjoined all other examination bodies to intensify their efforts in improving their application of technology and revolutionise ideas in the conduct of their examinations in future.
“We implore all other examination bodies in the country to continue in advancement and be also open to more new technologies so as to meet up with global educational standards,” he said.
The examination is scheduled to run from March 9t to17, 2018.