Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is, undoubtedly, a body that many have called for its scrapping, on account that it has outstayed its usefulness. But the ‘Change mantra of the present government, has given impetus for modification to elongate its life span. MARTIN PAUL writes.
The Critical Stakeholders Meeting on Plans and Modalities for the Sale and Registration of 2018 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), held on Wednesday, November 15, took a difference dimension as procedures for registration were succinctly modified.
The new directives also put the ardent critics of the functions of the board at a tide corner, such that those who continuously call for the scrapping of the board would now be forced to sit on the fence to watch the proceedings in the house of JAMB.
Similarly, those who often connived with candidates and parents because few lope holds were opened for frivolous activities would have a re-think over their activities in the new dispensation.
JAMB registrar, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, while reeling out new concepts in the conduct of matriculation examinations, could not hide his mission to rejuvenate examination administration of the board.
Appointment
Consciously, Oloyede said: “when I assumed duties in august 2016, the programme of activities for the 2017 had begun and in order not to derail the moving train, I quickly tried to take the driver’s seat while on motion with little knowledge of my crew members and a fair knowledge of the passengers”.
This position, undoubtedly, gave Oloyde an edge over what he was mandated to do at JAMB and he affirms that “the road was rough” and he realised the university system was different from the public service, “particularly when it comes to policy implementation”, an aspect service, which the nation has often been told lacking.
Sudenly, Oloyede also realised that while on motion, some re-routing has to be done to get to the destination, thus he decided to take the bull by the horns.
Moving into action
Realising the enormous amount spent each year in the conduct of the matriculation examinations with other service providers, the Oloyede-led JAMB begun a renegotiation, a situation that reduced the cost of examination to about N2million per annum.
“The service providers adjusted to our plan or compelled us to one or two major service providers because by the time they finally accepted out counter offer, we have decided a cheaper and more efficient alternative”, he said.
However, Nigerian businessmen with their antics almost derailed the lofty plans the board had made to ensure a hitch-free conduct of examination it is mandated.
Despite this, Oloyede said several attempts by both service providers and internal agents were unnecessarily made to subvert efforts of the board, but they were determined not to accommodate any level of corrupt practices in the process.
“We can understand the shock and pains of both internal and external beneficiaries of the old order, but the bulls have to be taken by the horns and the time is now, not any at their proposed future dates”, said Oloyede.
2017 experience
Not necessarily as a new comer into JAMB activities, the need to embrace best practice and use of technology to the advantage of the board, was adopted in the registration exercise of the 2017 UTME.
“Following the review of terms of agreements and consequent on the need to embrace best practice using technology, the registration of exercise of 2017 UTME was tinkered with in terms of approach and duration.
“At the end of the exercise, it was a worthwhile experience, which was built on and we urge, particularly the internal agents of such interest to desist from their evil plots”.
New dispensation
Consequent upon this, the board in the 2018 registration regime has introduced other areas hoped at putting a stop to factors that were inimical to the conduct of hitch-free matriculation examinations over the years.
Thus, for the 2018 examination year, the board has introduced the creation of profile by each applicant before purchasing PIN and prior to the commencement registration.
“The profile comprise the candidate’s name and e-mail address”, this is because candidates were taking advantage of unscrupulous persons and business outfits to pay exorbitantly for the creation of profile.
Occasioned by corrupt tendencies and shortfall in the sale of scratch card, JAMB management said the system has been modified and Vending of PIN system introduced.
This entails that the system has security advantage, less prone to fraudulent practice and has elastic variable, which would remove tendency of hoarding.
Selling points
According to Oloyede, having been observed that in the past, selling outlets, particularly in the 2015 and 2016 examination years, were limited, the board has decided to give more licensed banks and NIPOST the opportunity of sell the application forms to candidates.
Consequently, every bank is encouraged to set up sale outlets at Computer Based Test centres as a one stop shop, where candidates could undergo registration processes of creating his or her profile, purchase PIN and register for the mock and main examinations without stress.
“The management also allowed Interswith and System Spec (Remitta) to participate in order to make it easy for candidates and parents, who may wish to use their ATM/Credit/Debit cards to purchase the PIN.
The registrar also pointed out that in the past, many banks and even NIPOST stayed in their branches for the sale, thereby attracting overcrowding of candidates, thus drawing attention of the public for criticisms and wished, however, that by expanding sale outlets, this would stop.
Brochure, syllabus update
With a view to also updating candidates of the new dispensation, the board announced that brochure and syllabuses to which UTME would be drawn from, have also been reviewed and could be downloaded from its website.
It is expected that parents, guardians, teachers, candidates and all concerned stakeholders should take advantage and familiarise with the content of the brochure before the sale of application documents begin on November 22, 2017.
Foreign candidates
Another striking modification brought about by Oloyede’s led JAMB is the streamlining of fees for foreign candidates wishing to participate in the UMTE.
Impressively, the board has pegged only $20 per foreign candidate as against $100 paid by African candidates and $150 paid by foreign candidates in the 2017 examination.
Oloyede said this is in tandem with application fees for other public examinations in other countries, while Nigerian embassies have been advised to assist in collating and forwarding application forms in their various countries to the board.
Countries that often participate in UTME are Benin Republic, Cameroon, Ghana, Cote D’Voir, Ethiopia, South Africa, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom.
Oloyede said ‘in anticipation of the outcome of an ongoing proposal for agreement between The Gambia and Nigeria on Gambian candidates, the country was included in the last examination”.
UNICEF, NBS launch 2016/2017 MICS5 report
By Martin Paul
Abuja
