TheNewsGuru

Tag: UTME

  • JAMB speaks on sales of forms for 2021 UTME

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says no date has been fixed for the commencement of sales of the application documents for its 2021 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

    The board’s Head, Media and Information, Dr Fabian Benjamin, disclosed this in an interview on Wednesday in Lagos.

    Benjamin, who was speaking against the backdrop of reports that the board had already commenced the sales of forms for 2021 application, said that the board had since distanced itself from such reports.

    According to him, the report is totally false, misleading and malicious.

    ”The board’s attention has been drawn to some fictitious advertisement for the sales of the 2021 UTME/Direct Entry (DE) application documents purportedly coming from the board.

    ”This is totally false, and an attempt to mislead the public as the board has not rolled out its 2021 application documents.

    ”We have clearly defined channels of communication and as soon as we commence the process, the public will be duly informed via the necessary media platforms.

    ”The board, therefore, want to urge members of the general public not to be hoodwinked into falling prey to the antics of these persons, who derive pleasure in causing confusion.

    ”We all know the global disruptions caused by the Coronavirus (COVID-19), to education and other sectors of the economy, hence the delay in the commencement of the process as was obtained in previous years,” he told NAN.

    Benjamin, however, urged members of the public to always cross check with the board through its online platforms for authentic information.

  • Unilag sets date for 2020 UTME test, begins registration Oct. 19

    Unilag sets date for 2020 UTME test, begins registration Oct. 19

    The University of Lagos is to hold its 2020 post Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) test for two weeks, beginning from Nov. 18, an official has said.

    The institution’s Registrar, Mr Oladejo Azeez, said in a statement on Thursday in Lagos that the aptitude test would end on Dec. 2.

    According to Azeez, online registration for the exercise will start from Oct. 19 and end on Oct. 30.

    The register said that the test would be for admission into all undergraduate courses/programmes of the university for the 2020/2021 academic session.

    He said that only candidates who made the university their first choice in the 2020/2021 UTME and scored 200 and above would be eligible for the screening.

    He added that eligible candidates must possess five credit passes at one sitting in relevant ‘O’ Level subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.

    ‘“Candidates who will not be 16 years of age by Oct. 31, are not eligible and need not apply.

    “Candidates who fail to participate in the post UTME screening will not be considered for admission.

    “Former students of the institution whose admissions were withdrawn on the basis of poor academic performance or absence status, could re-apply on the condition that the new admission shall be for a course/ programme different from the former course/programme.

    “Any student expelled from the university cannot be offered fresh admission,” he said.

    The registrar said that eligible candidates for the test would pay N2,000 as the screening fee.

    He advised such candidates to log in to the university’s website www.unilag.edu.ng and click on admission.

    “Click on post-UTME application, then login with UTME number as username and Surname ( in lowercase) as password.

    “Generate and print payment advice and proceed to any commercial bank to make the payment or pay online.

    “Return to the university portal to complete filling the screening form and then print post-UTME examination pass,” he advised.

    The registrar said that the university had zero tolerance for drug abuse, warning that any student found wanting would lose studentship.

  • JAMB arrests police officer for hiring mercenary to write UTME

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has arrested a police office, Etim Israel, for engaging another person to sit for him in the 2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

    Israel, a Police Constable in Akwa Ibom Command, registered for the exam with his name while the mercenary/impersonator used his picture and other biometric details to sit for the exam.

    The Policeman, who said he applied to study Fishery at the Akwa Ibom State University in the 2020 UTME, told newsmen on Friday in Abuja, that he paid N30,000 to engage the services of the mercenary (a teacher), one Emmanuel- now on the run, to sit for the exam as he was away on special duties.

    Israel said after scoring over 240 in the exam and decided to commence the admission process, he was told that he won’t sail through because of disparity in the picture, which prompted him to visit JAMB’s office for correction, a move that landed him in trouble.

    Israel said: “I went to their (JAMB) office to change my picture when they told me (in Akwa Ibom) that I won’t be able to use the result because of the picture.”

    The Police Constable appealed to JAMB to temper justice with mercy, promising to help the board in investigating issues of impersonation in UTME.

    Registrar of JAMB, Prof Is-haq Oloyede, who said Israel will be prosecuted in accordance with the law, expressed concerns on the antics of some candidates that try to circumvent watertight measures put in place to prevent impersonation.

    Oloyede said the policeman was one of the 657 candidates that requested for change of picture in their registration profiles, adding he was arrested where he could not give convincing reasons before he later confessed to engaging a mercenary in the exam.

    He cited an instance where a woman’s name appeared on the registration list and a man would attempt to sit on her behalf.

    He said: “When some candidates complain that they have registered for our examination but could not be verified on the day of examination, many do not grasp the full import of their claims as such candidates, who are more often than not impersonators, expected to be allowed to enter the examination hall without undergoing necessary searches.

    “However, in the last UTME, the Board introduced the taking of a snapshot of the candidate who claims they could not be verified and comparing the new picture with the one in our database.

    “As a result of this innovation, only very few cases of impersonation were recorded compared with the number in the past.

    “657 want to change pictures and we are now asking them to come forward and give reasons for the change, we are expecting them.”

    The registrar said the directive by the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, that all institutions should use the already captured biometrics and pictures by the Board in processing admission has made it impossible for candidates whose examinations were taken on their behalf by professional examination takers to gain admissions.

    Oloyede also said the Board may not have the capacity to ensure the robust prosecution of all those involved in impersonation during the UTME but will select some from across the country to face the wrath of the law.

  • Candidates can print result notification now – JAMB

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), says candidates who participated in the just concluded 2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) can now print their result notification slips.

    JAMB disclosed this in its weekly bulletin on Monday in Abuja, meaning the results which had earlier been made available to candidates can now be printed free from the board’s website: www.jamb.gov.ng.

    “All a candidate needs to do after visiting the site is to click on QUICK LINKS, then on `E-Facility’ where the candidate would be required to provide his or her registration details and the result notification slip would be displayed for printing.

    “The printing of the result notification slip is free as it is different from the original result slip that comes with the candidate’s picture.

    “Candidates can print their result notification slip anywhere in the country even from the comfort of their homes once there is internet access.’’

    According to the examination body, it has, until now, restricted the printing of result notification slips.

    It was made available to candidates only through SMS to avoid anxiety on the part of candidates as well as prevent clustering at cybercafés with the attendant risk of COVID-19 contagion all in a bid to print result notifications.

    “This new development, however, is predicated on the gradual easing of the lockdown and resumption of economic activities in most parts of the country.

    “The board wishes to advise candidates to be wary of fraudulent elements masquerading as JAMB agents stating that it has not mandated any person or group to do the printing on behalf of the board.

    “Candidates are to note also that delegating this responsibility to third parties could result in wilful manipulation of their results.

    “Recalls that last year some candidates who abused this privilege by attempting to manipulate their scores were caught and are currently saving various jail terms,’’ JAMB said.

    The board further advised candidates to note that any attempt to forge the slip would attract stiff sanctions.

    It added that the decentralisation of printing of result notification slips was done mainly to comply with the directives of the NCDC and other relevant agencies on social distancing.

    “It is against this background that the board is urging candidates to note that it is incumbent on them to adhere to other precautionary health measures such as wearing of face masks, washing of hands, among others, in order to mitigate the spread of the virus,’’ JAMB added.

  • JAMB results of another 450,000 candidates out

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released another JAMB results of about 450, 000 candidates who sat for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) on Tuesday.

    Head of Media and Information Dr. Fabian Benjamin disclosed this yesterday in a statement.

    He urged candidates who sat for the examination on Tuesday to check their results by sending ‘RESULT’ to 55019 and not on the board’s website.

    Benjamin said the board has not cancelled the jamb results of its examination conducted last Saturday as being speculated on the social media.

    He said that the results of the first day of the examination were placed on its website, adding that some fraudulent individuals were copying and manipulating them to deceive unsuspecting candidates.

    The JAMB spokesperson said this made the board to move the results to the mobile platform for candidates to use “their unique phone numbers used in registering for the examination to access their results.”

    He urged the candidates to disregard rumours making the rounds that the results have been cancelled.

    The statement reads: “The result of the over 450,000 candidates who sat for the exam on Tuesday will also be released before noon today. (Wednesday).

    “To check their results, candidates are to send ‘RESULT’ to 55019 and not on the board’s website.

    “We urge the public to always cross check information provided on the social media.

    “Results of the examination will continue to be released as examinations are taken. In a few days from now, we will be concluding the 2020 exercise and we urge all candidates to be vigilant, as fraudsters, who couldn’t operate successfully, given the security measures put in place to secure our system, would want to use every opportunity of information gap to defraud or mislead unsuspecting candidates.”

    Acting Registrar of the National Examination Council (NECO) Dr. Abubakar Gana has petitioned commissioners of Education in the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory to notify them of the alleged extortion of students for the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) by schools in their domain.

    He alleged that some schools were charging above the Federal Government-approved fee of N9,850 as registration fee for the 2020 SSCE.

    Gana, who noted that this was against the directive of the government, vowed to sanction any school found guilty.

    He spoke when he received members of the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Services at the Abuja office of the council.

    The members, led by their Chairman, Prof Julius Ihonvbere, were on an oversight visit to the examination body.

    The registrar said: “Not quite a month, we wrote to the commissioners of education, highlighting that some schools, both public and private, are overcharging candidates. While the NECO fee is N9,850, some are even charging N20,000 in the name of administrative charges.

    “Most of these schools are ‘miracle centres’ and what they do there is that they perpetrate malpractices. Candidates who are lazy and don’t have confidence can go to the extent of paying N50,000 to register so they can have their way.

    “We are on it. You too have a very critical role to play. We will make sure that in all our activities, we will make you part of the monitoring team so you can see what is happening and at your own convenience, write a report to us.”

    He said the council would engage members of the committee to monitor its examination and urged them to report any infraction that would guide the council on appropriate actions to be taken.

    Gana appealed to the members of the National Assembly for a review of NECO’s budget, lamenting that the examination body had not embarked on any capital project for the past three years.

    Ihonvbere said the Senate and the House of Representatives would approve a review of NECO’s budget to enable it execute its mandate.

    He noted that the committee had a lot of confidence in NECO and those managing it.

    “We believe that the role you have played, the only way to better appreciate it is to imagine a Nigeria without NECO,” Ihonvbere said.

  • 2020 UTME: JAMB speaks on cancelling results

    2020 UTME: JAMB speaks on cancelling results

    The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has distanced itself from rumours in some quarters that results of its 2020 UTME taken on Saturday March 14 and Monday March 16 had been cancelled.

    Dr Fabian Benjamin, Head, Media and Information, made the clarification in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Lagos.

    According to him, such rumours are the handiwork of fraudsters and should be disregarded.

    He described the rumour as wicked, malicious and misleading.

    ”JAMB wishes to reassure all candidates who have written this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) so far that it has not canceled any of its examination or results.

    ”All results that have been released so far are intact and therefore there is no need for any panic whatsoever.

    ”Results of the 469,000 candidates who wrote on Monday have been released and candidates are to check their results by typing ‘RESULT’ and sending to 55019 with their unique telephone numbers for their scores.

    “They should not check their results on the internet as the portal had been shut, following attempt by some fraudsters to alter results of candidates.

    ”The board is already investigating the activities of these criminals and will not fail to take very drastic action against those that are behind this,” Benjamin said.

    Benjamin also responded to complaints by some candidates and stakeholders that the board was deliberately posting candidates to centres far away from their areas of residence.

    He said JAMB would not go beyond the carrying capacity of any centre all in a bid to fulfill the aspirations of candidates seeking to take the examination there.

    “Let me simply clarify here that JAMB does not post candidates just anywhere.

    “It is the candidates that chose their examination towns and once centres in that examination towns are filled, they are withdrawn from the net and candidates are then sent to other centres closest to such examination towns.

    ”It is not a deliberate act on our side,” he said.

  • No more biometric verification after examination – JAMB

    No more biometric verification after examination – JAMB

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says after its review of Saturday and Monday’s examination, it has, henceforth, suspend the conduct of biometric verification after candidates must have written the examination.

    The Board’s Head, Media and Information, Dr Fabian Benjamin made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday.

    Benjamin said that the verification of candidates before the commencement of the examination would, however, still obtain.

    According to him, without such verification there will be no examination for any candidate.

    He said candidates should feel free to go to their respective homes immediately they were through with their examination without filing out again for another verification.

    ”Candidates are no longer to wait to be signed out through another round of biometric verification after the examination, henceforth.

    “They should go straight home as soon as they leave the examination hall.

    ”However, in addition to this, as we also release the results for each day, we will like to urge all those concerned to note that we will not hesitate to withdraw any result found to be a product of cheating.

    ”What this means is that it is not yet over, especially for those that may have engaged in acts unexpected of our standard,” Benjamin said.

    The spokesman for the board also cautioned candidates writing the 2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to steer clear of any act capable of compromising the outcome of their participation.

    According to him, any candidate caught in any act with a view to discredit the examination process will face severe consequences.

    ”Some candidates who dared to test the board’s system had already found themselves in the hands of security operatives after they were caught in the act and arrested.

    ”They were trying to impersonate.

    ”Let me sound it clear that the board will continue to monitor the examination as it progresses, using technology to ensure that the process is in any way not compromised,” Benjamin said.

  • UTME candidates can print examination slips – JAMB

    UTME candidates can print examination slips – JAMB

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says prospective candidates for the 2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) are free to print their examination slips for the Computer Based Test.
    The board’s UTME is scheduled to commence nationwide on Saturday, March 14.
    The Head, Media and Information of the board, Dr Fabian Benjamin, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos that the examination slips could be printed anywhere.
    According to him, candidates are expected to look out for the locations of their centres before their examination dates.
    “This is in order to avoid running around on the examination day trying to locate the centres, and as a result, getting to the centre late.
    “It should be stated clearly now that lateness to the examination will not be tolerated, no matter the excuse,” he said.
    Benjamin said that come 2021, the board’s portal would be integrated into that of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).
    “Admission into our tertiary institutions are at the centre of national development, and therefore, any person or group of persons found to be truncating the national development process will not be assured
    “This integration will be done in such a way that anyone, be it from JAMB itself, institutions, the candidates or the general public, causing infractions of whatever type to our examination and its processes will be decisively dealt with immediately,” he said.
    Benjamin assured of the board’s committment in improving on the examination process.
    “The board will not relent in its effort, in ensuring that its processes are devoid of corrupt practices,” he assured.
    NAN reports that no fewer than 1.9 million candidates registered for this year’s examination nationwide.
  • 2020 UTME: JAMB speaks on extending registration deadline

    2020 UTME: JAMB speaks on extending registration deadline

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has stated clearly that there will be no extension for the registration of candidates for both the 2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), and the Direct Entry (DE) as being speculated in some quarters.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the board as saying it has so far registered over 1.9 million prospective candidates for the 2020 UTME, with a few hours to the end of the exercise.

    “Let me state clearly here that there will be no extension for the registration of candidates for both the UTME and the direct entry (DE) as being speculated in some quarters.

    “Registration for this year’s examination ends by 12 midnight of Feb. 17, and that will be it for this year.

    “I like to say that the board is pleased with the way the exercise has gone so far and with this, we have registered over 1.9 million candidates. We have never recorded such a number before.

    “Without doubt, this figure is the highest that the board has ever recorded in the history of its examination.

    “We are equally happy as a board that we keep improving everyday in a bid to ensure effective management of our operations,” Dr Fabian Benjamin, the Board’s Head of Media and Information, said who in an interview with NAN on Sunday in Lagos.

    Speaking further, Benjamin noted that arrangements had also been concluded for the conduct of a hitch-free mock examination, scheduled for February 18 nationwide.

    According to him, a total of 669 out of the 747 centres across the country will be used for the conduct of the computer-based test (CBT).

    “One of the purposes of the mock examination is to test-run the facilities in these centres. Anyone of them that falls short of standard will automatically be delisted,” he said.

    He called for the support and cooperation of stakeholders so as to collectively deliver on the public responsibility.

    “On our part, our members of staff have been making sacrifices that could even involve their lives in a bid to ensure quality service delivery,” he assured.

    This year’s registration for the examination commenced on Monday, January 13 and will be concluded on February 17.

  • UTME: JAMB withdraws 11 centres’ licences

    UTME: JAMB withdraws 11 centres’ licences

    The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has withdrawn licences from 11 centres for charging candidates exorbitant amount in the ongoing 2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) registration.
    Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, Registrar of the board, made this known in Abuja on Tuesday, at an interactive session with stakeholders.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the stakeholders comprises – the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC), banks, E-transact, Digital Partner Network, Interswitch and other service providers.
    Oloyede said that the proliferation of tutorial centres was a major concern as most of the centres engaged in fraud and corruption, during registrations and examinations.
    Oloyede said that charging above the stipulated N4,700 for the 2020 UTME registration was illegitimate and would only destroy the nation; as it was an act of fraud and corruption.
    He said that the exorbitant amount could have negative effects on the nation as well as having effects in destroying the system.
    ” Many people make illegitimate money from the examination and we will be destroying the nation, if we don’t get things right.
    ” Prior to 2018, we sell form for N5,000; but the federal government considers so many things and felt the money was much and in 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari decided that the cost should be slashed; which brought the cost to N3,500.
    ” Also, prior to this time, there were unscrupulous people selling as high as N10,000. We now democratised the sale of the forms, to make it available so that it will not be possible for those selling to hoard the forms.
    ” We felt the banks are overcrowded so we decided to expand the sale outlet, to bring in mobile money operators to cover all the registered banks.
    ” The effects of the expansion is that some people are still penetrating the banks, thereby increasing the cost of the sale of form, ” he said.
    Oloyede said that the board was magnanimous enough to pay the sum of N210 as commission for each of the forms sold, to about 2 million candidates nationwide, saying extorting the candidates was unjust.
    He added that the board was working closely with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), to ensure that any agent who sold above the prescribed fee was brought to book.
    He, therefore, called on NSCDC to assist in arresting any erring centre while also calling on candidates to report any centre involved in the act, to commandants in their various states.
    He also said that the board, in a bid to eradicate the problems and as well as to ensure tracking, had directed its agents selling forms to ensure they have the National Identity Number (NIN).
    The registrar listed some of the centres whose licences were withdrawn as: Federal Polytechnics, Mubi; Adamawa; Adazi-Nnukwu ICT/CBT for selling forms at N5,000, Emkenlyn Computers, Nneameka Secondary School Anambra.
    Others are: New Kings and Queens Bayelsa, for selling at N5,500; Brightfield Secondary School Delta, for selling between N6,000 and N8,000; A-Pagen Consolidated Port Harcourt, for selling at N5,000 and Influencial School Port Harcourt, for selling at N6,000.
    NAN also reports that the cost of the registration is N3,500, cost of materials is N500 and N700 for the CBT centres; totalling N4,700.
    Meanwhile, the Commandant General, NSCDC, Mr Abdullahi Muhammadu, urged the board to limit the tutorial centres in the country, while making sure that lists of certified tutorial centres were revealed to reduce infractions, as it relate to examinations.
    Muhammadu also called on commandants in the various states, to make integrity their watchword, in order not to betray the confidence the board have in them as well as Nigerians.