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Parents Express Dissatisfaction Over JAMB’s Conduct Of UTME 2019

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BREAKING: JAMB Shifts 2023 UTME Mock Exam

What Candidates, Parents Are Saying As UTME Ends Today

As the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) ends today, many candidates and parents have expressed dissatisfaction and reservations about Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB)‘s promise to ensure smooth completion of the exercise.

JAMB, yesterday had assured that it would ensure the smooth and successful completion of the UTME exercise.

Speaking through Fabian Benjamin, the board’s Head of Media and Publicity, JAMB also disclosed that the process of the examination has so far been successful, adding that the board was addressing some of the challenges that came up during the exercise, Naija News reports.

In Gombe State, no fewer than 20, 000 candidates registered and wrote the exams in different Computer Based Test (CBT) centres.

The exercise at the Gombe State University and Federal College of Education CBT centres were free and fair, just like other centres visited in the metropolis. Some however complained of being rejected by the thumbprint scanners.

A JAMB official, who spoke under condition of anonymity, said “We have recorded some negligible cases where the scanner failed to recognize some duly registered students. We have taken their details and we will forward same to the headquarters and a new date will be fixed to conduct the exam for all the candidates with such kind of problems.”

In Oyo State, Daily Trust reports that candidates expressed displeasure over the inability to write the examination in some centres.

A candidate, Miss Fathia Moyosore Balogun, was one of those denied access to the University of Ibadan CBT centre located at Awo Hall.

Balogun said “I registered for the examination at UI CBT centre at Awo Hall. The machine recognized my finger at that time. I don’t know what caused it. JAMB should consider me. I am crying because I don’t know what to do.”

A UTME official, Dr. O.J. Ezekiel pointed out, server failure as one of the challenges that affected the smooth run of the examination in the centre. He noted that all efforts made by the officials to ensure that the scanner recognized Balogun’s finger print proved abortive.

A student at the Nursing School Eleyele Ibadan centre, Eniola Adetayo, however, described the exercise as a success.

For Parents and candidates at Flourish Computer Centre, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State their complaint was the inability to write the exam.

Candidates said the computers at the centre shut down 20 minutes after the exams commenced, adding that after the inability of the management to rectify the situation, the candidates were asked to leave the hall.

They said when the candidates became rowdy at 8pm, the management of the centre allegedly used police to disperse them.

One of the candidates, Moses Okokon, said he was at the venue of the exams by 6am on Thursday but his computer alongside those of other candidates stopped after answering about 20 questions.

“We thumb printed and started, but shortly after, the computers logged out. They asked us to start again and the systems had the same problem. They asked us to wait as the exams will be rescheduled. The second batch had the same problem so I don’t know if the exams will be rescheduled or cancelled,” he said.

Another candidate, Miss Emediong Eyo, who was supposed to write the exams by 1 pm, said she arrived the venue by 12noon and noticed that the candidates in the first batch came out crying, adding that they could only answer two or three questions before the systems stopped.

“At 1.30pm, they scanned our thumbprints and we waited outside till 7pm and nothing happened. We were about to leave when they said we should wait and we waited till 8.30pm when we started. My computer did not even open at all but those who sat near me logged into the computer but monitors were blank.

“We could not write the exams and we were later asked to leave the hall. We were angry and staged a peaceful protest. Before long, SARS came in and threatened to shoot us if we do not leave the exams. We want JAMB to cancel this centre and give us another centre to write exams or reschedule it for us,” she said.

Hon. Victor Etienam, father to one of the candidates, said the management of the centre has not been able to conduct the exams, adding that candidates don’t know their fate.

“I brought my son here yesterday, he was to write exams by 9am, but I discovered that the first batch that went in for the exams by 7am were frustrated and came out crying that the systems collapsed.

“The management said they would call in the experts and the problem would be fixed, that the system would be okay for the second batch. But when the second batch was later called in, they stayed for over three hours and came out crying, saying that the system opened for only five minutes and then went off.

“They said they were not allowed to leave the hall but asked to wait as they were working on the system. When the third batch was called in, we started protesting; asking why they called three batches when the system was not working.

“They forced the children to sign in and out, meaning that you have entered for the exams and you have written the exams.

“After the third batch came out with the same report, the management of the centre called in SARS to secure the facility. They said they don’t want the centre to be blackmailed.

“We are here again today and the problem persists. We appeal to JAMB to reschedule exams for this centre or we will take a legal action against JAMB because we have business with JAMB and not with the management of this centre,” he stated.

However, an official at the Universal White Hall College, Fagba, Lagos State, Barrister Ogedengbe Alexander, said the introduction of biometrics verification by the JAMB was highly innovative and a great improvement from what obtained in the past.

Candidates for the JAMB 2019 Computer-Based Test wait to be screened at the ICT Centre at Bingham University along the Abuja-Keffi road
Candidates for the JAMB 2019 Computer-Based Test wait to be screened at the ICT Centre at Bingham University along the Abuja-Keffi road
He said the ‘no biometrics, no examination’ rule by the board was better than the previous arrangements.

“We started writing JAMB in this centre since 2013. The exam this year has been very smooth, timely and all the JAMB officials sent here know their job. We really appreciate them because they made the job easier by keeping to time and keeping to the rules,” he said.

On the issue of examination malpractice, he said no single case was recorded, noting that the candidates were orderly.

A candidate, Adetutu Adekunle, who wrote her exam last week Thursday, said she was delayed for more than two hours before writing her exams.

At Galbatar College at Oyemekun, Ogba, Taiwo Akinsaya, expressed disappointment in the timing, saying his exam was scheduled for 1.30pm on Monday, April 15, 2019 but thumb verification had not started as at 12.14pm. “It’s discouraging,” he sai