Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has issued fresh standardisation rules, guidelines and registration processes to licensed operators of Computer Based Test, CBT, centres to eliminate fraudulent practices in the system ahead of the 2018 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, examination.
According to the new rule contained in a statement by the Board’s registrar, Isiaq Oloyede, at a meeting with CBT owners on Thursday, CBT operators are required to ensure that as soon as candidates complete their registration, they should upload the handwritten forms of the candidates. This it said will make easy for whatever errors to be easily identified and traced.
Oloyede disclosed that there were errors in the registration exercise in the UTME 2017.
“This has led to many candidates requesting for one form of correction of data or the other,” he said.
In its effort to eliminate all forms of errors and also hold people responsible for negligence and mischief, the registrar said, “All candidates must register under the lenses of the CCTV Camera and the footage of which should be uploaded to the Board Headquarters. We have discussed with the telecommunication service providers the details of the required bandwidth and data for the operation.
“These measures are aimed at curtailing the need and demand for corrections. Thus, any centre that makes a mistake during the registration, as will be proven by the uploaded forms and CCTV footage, will be liable for such errors as they will not be paid for the total number of candidates they have committed such errors. This measure has become necessary as it has come to the notice of the Board that some centres make deliberate mistakes in order to extort candidates.
“The process of scanning and uploading completed forms by candidates has to be done meticulously. The details of this process would also be explained later.
“In addition, scanning of passport photograph would not be accepted anymore. Rather real time capturing of candidates’ photo at the centre would now be the rule”, Oloyede said.
This is against previous practice where CBT centres operated under different capacities, with tendency for manual registration and distribution of candidates, prejudice and sharp practices by operators.
The board had announced the blacklisting of 72 of the 600 (CBT) centres used for the 2017 UTME across the country due to their alleged involvement in extortion and “organised examination malpractice” during the UTME.
Addressing issues of irregularities by CBT centres, the registrar said, “I use this opportunity to register the Board’s strong displeasure over the conduct of some CBT centres, which in spite of the Board’s efforts in providing necessary facilities to the Centres with a view to checking incessant tide of examination malpractice, still went ahead to perpetrate all sorts of illegal acts. We have taken the first and immediate action of suspending and delisting seventy-two (72) centres.
“One defect which stood out clearly from the current exercise is the inexplicable use of only few and insufficient registration outlets by the CBT centres. We need to discuss how to retain some extra hands to increase the registration outlets in each centre.”
As a way of moving forward, the Board said it will strengthen the verification of CBT centres by adopting the following measures:
· Verification of CBT centres unannounced and regularly. Centres which do not perform to the expected level will have to be delisted;
· Engaging the services of local professionals who will be assigned with the responsibility of inspecting the centres regularly; CBT centres are to be established in buildings without any possibility of connection with any other room or facility.
Oloyede also said JAMB was considering the idea of having a mega centre in each of the six geo-political zones adding that the mega centre format is to hold a company or group of companies responsible for a block of centres and enhance their proficiency.
As a result of technical deficiencies, extortion, organised examination malpractice and other infractions in the 2017 UTME, the board cancelled the results of about 62,140 candidates and ordered they retake the exams.
The board then conducted supplementary exams on July 1 for the affected candidates.
The board’s Head, Media and Information, Mr Fabian Benjamin said that about 86,000 candidates sat for the mop-up exam on Saturday in 170 CBT centres across the country.
According to him, the examination is for candidates who registered late and those with related issues.
Oloyede, a professor, further said in the statement that some CBT centres experienced hitches in the mop-up exams.
He advised the affected centres to work towards enhancing their efficiency if they wish to be retained for the Board subsequent activities.
The affected centres are as follows:
1 ABIA Doreen
Institute of Computer Technologies, Opp. National Population Commission, New Haven Junction, Along Holy Ghost Road By Aba Road, Umuahia, Abia State.
2 ABIA National Comprehensive Secondary School, Umoukea, No 1, Oji Avenue, Off 3, Glass Industry Road, Near 7-Up Plant, Obingwa LGA, Abia State
3 ABIA Makac Global Intergrated Services Nig Ltd., 63/64, Asa Road, Aba, Abia State
4 ABIA STATE Pius Comprehensive Secondary School, Umuigwe-Amakama, Umuahia South L.G.A., Abia State Ctr1
5 ANAMBRA Prince Chums Global Ltd, (Community Secondary School), Along Umueze-Amaoji Road, Isuofia, Anambra State
6 ANAMBRA Bintels Global Services LTD.(Centre for Computer Education), Fr. Joseph Memorial High Sch. Aguleri, Anambra State
7 IMO Land Resources Technology, Owerri, Imo.
PT
