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Tag: JAMB

  • JAMB reveals how parents are aiding UTME fraud

    Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), on Wednesday said parents of candidates sitting for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, have been the Board’s major challenge.

    He described as alarming the desperation of parents and level at which they go to ensure that their children get admissions at all cost, irrespective of the consequences involved. Oloyede pointed out that the situation has continued to give the board consistent concern.

    The Registrar spoke today during a meeting with the Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption in Abuja.

    ”The greatest problem we have is with the parents, I do not have problems with the candidates. But the parents have gone haywire.

    ”They compromise the process because while the students are writing the examinations, you see some of the parents seeking for any assistance that can be given to make their children pass.”

    Oloyede recalled that during the 2018 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Board Examinations (UTME), some parents of candidates who were caught for engaging in malpractices did not play the proper parental role.

    According to him, while one mother requested that her daughter’s mark be automatically increased because a Test Centre operator tried to molest her, another mother pushed her eldest son to write the examination for the younger one.

    “Some parents go as far as paying huge sums of money into fraudulent accounts online to upgrade their children’s results.

    ”We have advertised recently, that anybody who pays into such accounts would be tracked and disqualified because these fraudsters openly advertise that if you want help on JAMB pay into certain accounts.

    ”Parents are paying into these accounts but we have involved the Department of State Services and the Police and some of them have been arrested already.”

    The act, he said, has continued to give the board a second view of what transpires outside its domain, through which it is able to monitor the illegal operations.

    Oloyede reiterated that the board would continue to give its best in ensuring that its credibility is sustained, despite the challenges at hand.

    Speaking on the issue of cut off mark, the Registrar explained that it is necessary to understand that it is the point that allows you to know at what point you are not allowed “into the basket.”

    He further explained that the cut off point goes beyond attaining just the UTME scores but includes all the requirements of the admission process.

    He explained this varies from one institution to another, adding that people must erase from their minds, the perception that the higher a cut off mark of an institution, the more credible the institution is.

    Oloyede said that it was the duty of the board to ensure that it supervises and guarantees that no one is surcharged.

    ”The Law that established JAMB makes it clear that JAMB will admit in conjunction with the institutions.

    According to the registrar, there are 25 countries with similar bodies like JAMB in the world and what they do is conduct the examinations and make the results available to the institutions.

    ”At what point the institutions intend to cut off is at their discretion.”

    Earlier, the Chairman of the Committee, Prof. Itse Sagay, said that the purpose of the visit by the Committee was to learn more about how the board has managed its success and challenges, especially on the issue of results and admissions.

    Other issues, he said that need attention were those of the cut off marks for admissions as well factors militating against the progress of the system.

    Sagay also said that the committee was there to get an update on the issue of JAMB staff who allegedly looted the board’s funds and steps being taken by the board to bring them to book.

    Over 15 members of staff of the board and members of the Presidential Committee attended the meeting.

  • UTME: IDP students record exceptional performance

    UTME: IDP students record exceptional performance

    Ohogua Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) students who wrote the recent Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) record an impressive performance according to results released by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

    Solomon Folunsho, the general overseer of International Christian Mission Centre and operator of the camp located in Benin City, Edo State, made this known after results of all the students were released.

    According to the general overseer, 59 out of the 63 students who wrote the exam scored above 200, with some getting as high as 298.

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, who paid the registration fees of the students for the examination, including WAEC, NECO and NABTEB, as part of his support for displaced persons across the country, said he is very pleased with the performance.

    “This is another manifestation of the inherent resilience of Nigerians, whether young or old, and their ability to record notable achievements, even in the face of daunting challenges,” he said.

    He commended the operators of the camp, as well as other displaced camps in the country, for their continued selfless efforts in ensuring that the displaced persons are cared for, as government intensifies efforts to ensure their safe return to their homes and communities.

    Dogara, while stressing that the impressive performance of the students is a testament of their potentials which can only be fully harnessed with adequate support and empowerment, urged Nigerians who are financially capable to support them in order to prevent their present unfavourable circumstances from hampering their future.

     

  • JAMB releases 1.5m UTME results, withholds 112,331 others

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released a total of 1,502,978 results in the just conducted Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

    JAMB’s Head of Information, Fabian Benjamin, said the results were released after viewing all CCTV footage during the 2018 UTME.

    He also noted that the results were released having considered reports from the body’s supervisors, monitors and other independent Nigerians who took interest in promoting the quality of public examination in Nigeria.

    JAMB said a total of 1,652,825 candidates indicated interest in the examination by registering for the 2018 UTME.

    He said a total of 112,331 candidates results are yet to be released out of which 350 are the results of the blind candidates which would be released soon and 111,981 results withheld for further screening.

    “The figure above excludes foreign candidates whose examination would be conducted in April,” he noted in a statement.

     

  • UTME 2018: JAMB directs candidates to immediately check results online

    The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has directed candidates who have taken the 2018 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) to visit the board’s website for their results.

    The Head of Media of the Board, Dr Fabian Benjamin, gave the directive at a news conference on Tuesday in Bwari, Abuja.

    Benjamin said that the results had been scrutinized and released on its website, www.jamb.org.ng, adding that such candidates were free to visit the Board’s website for their results.

    He also explained that the results would be released in batches to enable candidates who have already taken the examination to check them.

    JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is’haq Oloyede, recently said that unlike the 2017 exercise, the Board would not release the results of the 2018 examinations immediately until after two or three days.

    This, he stated, was not because the Board was incapable of releasing them immediately but that results must undergo review and total scrutiny to avoid multiple cancellation of candidates’ results.

    The 2018 UTME began on Friday and is scheduled to finish on Saturday.

     

  • UTME 2018: Candidates laud JAMB as some fidget over use of computers

    UTME 2018: Candidates laud JAMB as some fidget over use of computers

    Some candidates, who sat for the first session of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME), on Saturday commended JAMB as few panicked due to their unfamiliarity with the use of computers.

    Mr Abayomi Otubela, the proprietor of Lagooz Schools Agege, Lagos, whose school serves as one of the UTME centres, announced this to the parents of the candidates at the waiting lodge in the centre.

    Otubela said some candidates had difficulties navigating through the computers, which made them to panic.

    “Some of our children are fidgeting because they are not familiar with the use of computers.

    “Some of them said they cannot even navigate to move to the next subject, so we had to put them through the process before the examination started,” he said.

    He advised parents to inform those, who had not written the examination, to get familiar with the use of computers and the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) software.

    “For those of you, who have people that haven’t written, let them get familiar with the use of computer and JAMB software.

    “That was why JAMB conducted the mock examination so that they can familiarise themselves with the software.’’

    He also advised parents to encourage their children to prepare well academically in order to gain admission into the schools of their choice.

    Meanwhile, some candidates sitting for the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) in some centres in Lagos, Benin and Abuja have commended the JAMB as CBT proceeds smoothly in most centres.

    The examination commenced on Friday across the country, with computer Based Test,(CBT).

    A cross section of the candidates writing the test at Connection Computer Centre, Lagos, commended JAMB for its proper organisation.

    Mr Kehinde Adenuga, said organisation of the examination was convenient for applicants.

    “The process of registration and allocation has been convenient, as everything is done online.

    “The first batch started by 7a.m, and I will be in the next batch to write by 9a.m. I can only pray for the best,” he said.

    Chime Lucky, another candidate, expressed hope for success in the test.

    “I wrote JAMB in 2017 but I didn’t do too well, I hope and pray that I am able to secure admission this year,” she said.

    Mr Obinna Ume, a parent, who brought his ward to write the test, also commended the arrangement.

    “There is no rowdiness and the candidates are expected to have basic knowledge of computer to write the test.

    “This is commendable and it will go a long way to encourage computer literacy among students,” he said.

    Dr Akinyele Ariyo, Supervisor for the examination centre assured that the test was foolproof against manipulation.

    “The examinations we are conducting are well organised and protected against malpractices.

    “The questions are computer based and cannot be leaked by anybody, and the centres are monitored with security cameras connected to a central server ” he said.

    Ariyo said that his centre accommodated 250 candidates for each batch, with three batches in a day.

    Also, some 2018 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidates in Benin on Saturday tasked the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to be time cautious.

    One of the candidates, Endurance Abang told NAN that the exams was schedule for 7a.m but could not start until 8.a.m.

    Abang said that some of the candidates travelled early to their various centres without food only to start waiting for JAMB officials.

    He, however, called on JAMB to make mock examinations compulsory for all the candidates that enrolled for the exam, adding that it would enable them to familiarise with computers and other back-ups equipment used at the exam centres.

    Solomon Osarodion, another candidate, lauded JAMB for the smooth conduct of the examination, however, warned JAMB for not commencing examination early enough as slated.

    Osarodion said that JAMB should ensure proper monitoring of all the facilities used during the exams as he said that some of the computers are outdated.

    A centre administrator, Mr Daniel Egeonu, said that JAMB has a way of monitoring all its accredited centre before the commencement of each exams, adding that JAMB would not accredited any centre without meeting its requirements.

    Egeonu, however, blamed late commencement of exams on the part of candidates not arriving centres early enough.

    Also, Mrs Idowu Odufoye, an Inspector of Call (IC) from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) told newsmen that they recorded a hitch-free screening at the centre.

    “We carried out the screening in four different stages and there was no problem with the candidates.

    “They complied, obeyed instructions and none of them were caught with any incriminating material, Odufoye said.

    According to Mr Moshood Momoh, a JAMB official, no issue was encountered during the examination and the candidates behaved very well and were orderly.

    Out of 250 candidates registered for the first day at the centre, only one candidate was absent.

     

  • JAMB records decrease in number of registered candidates in 2018

    JAMB records decrease in number of registered candidates in 2018

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Wednesday said it recorded a decrease in the number of registered candidates for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) in 2018.

    The Registrar of the Board, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede disclosed this to newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja.

    According to him, a total number of 1, 662, 762 candidates registered for the 2018 UTME, within a period of two months, as against a total of 1,718,425 candidates who registered within one month in 2017.

    He explained that the decrease of 3.2 per cent was largely, as a result of measures put in place by the board to forestall multiple registrations and other unwholesome registration practices by candidates.

    Oloyede also noted that a total of 367 visually impaired candidates registered for the 2018 examination as against the 201 candidates of 2017.

    He said that the board will continue to provide all necessary support and logistics to the physically challenged candidates in order to encourage them to attain their pursuit for knowledge.

    According to the registrar, the board recorded a pleasantly high number of candidates for the 2018 UTME examinations from foreign countries.

    He, however, said that the board was yet to get the actual statistics from the various embassies, adding that those who applied for the examinations would commence after the local centres have concluded.

    On admissions, the registrar said that the board has since concluded the 2017 admissions into tertiary institutions.

    He said that the admission was conducted using the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), automated the admission platform and provided the candidates with the opportunity to track their admissions.

    According to him, this system ensure strict adherence to admission guidelines thereby creating equity and fairness in admission and was responsible for timely completion of the admission.

    “The 2017 admissions statistics shows that 1,840,225 candidates applied for the 2017 UTME and Direct Entry (DE).

    “A total of 1,187,997 candidates out of the above met the minimum cut-off points for the 2017 admission of which 842,505 possess the minimum O’level requirement and cut-off points.”

    He reiterated that the board was ready to move on with its scheduled academic calendar as that was the right thing to do, as such, candidates who were unable to complete their 2017 admission process should not hold JAMB responsible.

    The registrar also described as fraudulent, those who engaged in multiple registrations.

    He said that the board have put measures in place through its enhanced registration process and would not relent in its efforts to tackle and stop any act that may aid examination malpractice.

    He, however, said “the official position today is that candidates do not need to pick the two forms; if you apply for UTME and you have enhanced qualifications, you just upgrade to the next level at no cost.”

    Oloyede further said that the board has concluded all arrangements for it activities for the 2019 exercise and a calendar has since been released on its website.

    This, he explained, was because the board targets to work towards assisting other concerned stakeholders to have a reliable academic calendar for tertiary institutions.

    “The academic session in tertiary institutions statutorily begins in August and we will ensure that we conclude all admission exercise by that time.

    “If any institution does not resume early, it will not be due to delay in the admission process,” he said.

    Speaking on the boards level of preparedness for the scheduled 2018 UTME examinations, Oloyede said that about 6, 500 permanent and ad hoc staff were deployed to the 605 centres across the country.

    He noted that each centre would be manned by 10 officials, which would include external examiners, members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and security officers.

    He appreciated the support from various stakeholders in the education sector as well as the Federal Government.

    The registrar also commended the Media for their consistent efforts in sensitising the public about the board’s efforts to change the narratives of tertiary education in the country.

  • Jamb official absolves snake, indicts boss in missing N36m saga

    The JAMB official, Philomina Chieshe, who weeks back claimed that the board’s N36 million was swallowed by a strange snake has retracted her statement.

    Chieshe, who works as a clerk at the JAMB office in Markurdi, Benue state, had initially told JAMB auditors that a, “mysterious snake” swallowed the money gotten from the sale of JAMB scratch cards.

    But appearing before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC), she confessed that the money was collected by one Samuel Umoru, who’s her superior.

    A fact sheet released by the EFCC indicated that Chieshe was first quizzed on February 16th, 2017 and she made additional statements on April 7 and 13 2017, May 30, 2017 and June 28, 2017.

    In one of the statements she volunteered to the EFCC, Chieshe, who is a clerk in the Makurdi office of JAMB, revealed that the Coordinator usually asked her to withdraw proceeds of the sale of the Scratch Cards from her account in two new generation banks.

    She said, “ This money I withdrew, the coordinator used it for the office and some time for himself.

    he woman said she had been warning Umoru that it was improper to use the money for miscellaneous expenses in the office or for private purposes but he would not listen. She also claimed that Umoru was in the habit of drawing IOU from the proceeds of the sale of the cards without reimbursing her. Some of the withdrawals which she claimed were at the behest of the coordinator included the N340,000 withdrawn on May 5 and 26, 2014 with ATM card. She also disclosed that she used her ATM card to withdraw N120,000 for the coordinator between June 17 and 18, 2014. “He instructed me to withdraw N640,000, using my card between June 30, 2014 and July 7, 2014.

    She added, “The investigating team had verified the withdrawals after a careful analysis of the statements of account of the suspect. Umoru had also been arrested and questioned about claims by Chieshe. Umoru did not deny the allegations.

    “He was, however, released on administrative bail but had been reporting monthly to the anti- graft agency. The interesting aspect of the disclosure is that Chieshe’s statement was obtained long before the snake and Naira swallowing testimony became public knowledge.”

    In all her statements before the EFCC, there was no mention of any episode of any snake and the disappearance of monies in her care. In a fact-sheet regarding the investigations, Chieshe was quoted to have said her superior — the coordinator at the Markurdi office — had asked her to withdraw the N36 million.”

    Other JAMB officials being investigated include Tanko Labaran who could not account for N23 million from sale of scratch cards at the Nasarawa office, and Yakubu Jakada who is yet to explain the whereabouts of N20 million e-facilities cards sold in Kano office.

    All the suspects have been released on bail pending the outcome of the anti-graft agency’s investigations.

  • Six agencies working to recover JAMB’s stolen money – Oloyede

    The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, has said no fewer than six federal agencies are helping the examination body to recover its money allegedly stolen by some of its officials.

    The agencies, according to Oloyede, are the police, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Department of State Services, the National Information Technology Development Agency and the Nigerian Communications Commission.

    JAMB had suspended its employee, Philomina Chieshe, two weeks ago on account of the handling of N36m, which she claimed had been swallowed by a snake at the board’s office in Makurdi, Benue State.

    Later that week, the board said it was investigating fresh cases of fraud totalling N83m uncovered in its state offices in Kano, Edo, Kogi, Gombe and Plateau.

    The JAMB registrar however assured Nigerians that all the stolen funds would be recovered and paid to the purse of the Federal Government.

    He said, “We have received cooperation from other agencies in monitoring the fraud and other sharp practices. We would not have had the wherewithal to detect some of the things we are detecting if not for the cooperation of these agencies.”

    He explained that his management gave those who stole money an opportunity to pay back what they took into JAMB accounts when it was discovered that a lot of the workers could not give proper records of transactions they carried out on behalf of the agency.

    Oloyede said, “We had no problem with all the officers who paid back what they had with them and they remained on their jobs. We (however) handed over those who wanted to be clever and felt they had stolen the money and were not ready to refund anything to the security agencies.

    “Having handed them over (for prosecution), it has left my purview. What remains is for them to pay back the money. They had misused the privilege of payment without prosecution in the first place.”

    The JAMB registrar could not confirm the number of workers currently being investigated or the amount they allegedly stole because the probe is still ongoing.

    “I believe that the affected officers, out of mistake, must have done what they did before 2016. If anyone is caught now, we will be as ruthless as possible. There will be no option of payback and sin anymore,” he added.

    Oloyede said the essence of the mock examination, billed to start on Monday, was to enable JAMB to identify areas that were not perfect and correct the errors.

    He stated, “We also want to seize the opportunity to expose those who are afraid of computers to the use of technology. We want them to know that the computer-based test is the best way.”

  • JAMB remitted N7.8bn to government in 2017 – Registrar

    The Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, says about N7.8 billion was remitted to the Federal Government as revenue by the board in 2017.

    Speaking at the JAMB office in Bwari, FCT, he said government never expected such huge remittance because the revenue target of the board for 2017 was N500 million.

    Mrs Rasheedat Okoduwa, spokesperson of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), made this known in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

    According to her, Oloyede spoke at the inauguration of the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) of JAMB by the ICPC.

    “A top government official had emphasised that JAMB must remit nothing less than N500 million to the government.

    “The JAMB officer with me in that meeting advised that I should say the agency would be able to return about N600 million.

    “But at the end of the day, we returned N7.8 billion,” Okoduwa quoted him as saying.

    The registrar noted that his actions were not meant to expose his predecessors, but rather driven by his anti-corruption reforms in the agency anchored on accountability and transparency in the management of public finances.

    He urged the ACTU members to use the platform enabled by ICPC to tackle corruption in JAMB.

    The JAMB boss stated that the many corruption matters he had been handling were beginning to have adverse effects on his other responsibilities.

    However, he assured the ACTU members of the strong support of the management, promising that he will not hesitate to spend his personal money to facilitate their work if the need arose.

    “I can assure you of our total support, just as it will not be good for you if corruption is traced to any of you.

    “Funding will not be a problem because you will have more than what government is giving you, since you will be relieving me burden of pursuing criminals,” Oloyede reportedly said.

    Earlier, acting Chairman of ICPC, Mr Abdullahi Bako, lauded the ongoing anti-corruption reforms of JAMB which recently uncovered massive fraud in some of its state offices.

    Bako, who was represented by Mr Justin Kuatsea of the Corruption Monitoring and Evaluation Department (CMED) of the commission, noted that the achievements of JAMB in the anti-corruption fight were worthy of emulation by other government agencies.

    On her own part, the Chairman of ACTU in JAMB, Mrs Munirat Lawal, assured that the unit would deliver on its mandate by helping to reduce the incidence of corruption in the agency.

    She added that the unit had already begun work by sensitising staff against corruption and helping to close down some illegal centres for conduct of the Computer-Based Test.

     

  • 2018 UTME: JAMB to conduct Mock test Feb 26

    2018 UTME: JAMB to conduct Mock test Feb 26

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Sunday said the much anticipated conduct of the 2018 Mock Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) would now hold on Feb. 26.

    The board’s Head, Media and Information, Dr Fabian Benjamin said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

    According to him, a total of 245,753 of the 1,652,795 candidates that registered for this year’s UTME are expected to write the test.

    “We are happy to announce to the public that the board has concluded arrangement for the conduct of the mock UTME, slated for Monday, February 26.

    “This is irrespective of the ongoing strike embarked upon by members of non-academic unions of federal universities nation wide.

    “Candidates will soon be informed on when to print notifications for the examination and in addition, notifications will be sent through e-mails and text messages on the schedules of their examination,” Benjamin said.

    He explained that the examination was expected to be hitch free because the board had successfully reduced incidences of malfunctioning of computers by electronically integrating the systems to see their functionality and effectiveness through link tests.

    “What this means is that, at the end if the exercise, whatever system that is not seen will not be used for the mock examination.

    “The 2018 exercise sold a total of 1, 966,918 candidate generating profiles.

    “In previous examinations this number of candidates would have paid for the forms but through our efficient and effective system of ensuring that candidates do not waste resources, we decided to introduce the profile generating regime.

    “By this method, candidates will first have to generate personal profiles before proceeding to obtain pins, in between which they are open to deciding whether to go ahead to pay for the registration documents or otherwise,” Benjamin explained.

    NAN reports that the main UTME is expected to hold nationwide from March 9 to March 17.