Tag: UTME

Hitches were reported at some centres in Lagos State on Friday as the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) began across the country.

No fewer than 1.9 million candidates registered for the computer-based examination nationwide.

Correspondents who monitored the first day of the examination in Lagos report that technical hitches occurred at the Wisdom House, Yaya Abatan,  Ogba, one of the Computer-Based Test centres, early in the day.

Some candidates claimed that the hitches  led to some of them being logged out before the expected time.

One of the affected candidates, who gave her name as Precious, said she was scheduled for the first session.

She said that she got to the centre at 6:30 am, did her biometrics and went in for the examination.

According to her, a few minutes after commencement of the examination, there was power outage that led to the shut down of all the systems in the hall.

She said that it took about 45 minutes for the centre operators to rectify the challenge and even when they did, many of them could no longer log in.

“A lot of  time was again spent by the centre owners battling to get the challenge resolved and eventually when they did, most of us could barely do only two subjects, while others could not attempt any before we were finally logged out, signaling the end of examination for the first session,” she said.

Confirming the issue, supervisor of the centre, Mrs Aisha Abdulbaqi, said no fewer than 50 candidates were affected by the development.

She cited land cable of the centre and the systems as the main issues.

“We are thinking of what to do about these candidates who are affected. I guess the only way out will be rescheduling them,” she said.

The centre administrator, who did not want his name in print, said the entire development came up abruptly.

He said that before now, the systems and all other backups had been in top shape.

“It was just a technical glitch, and when it occurred, we immediately rallied round to fix it and everything started working again”, he said.

The second session for the day that was supposed to begin by 9.00 a.m was postponed to 4.00p.m. in the same centre, because of another technical hitch.

“The  examination for the second set has now been also postponed, because the  technical officers from JAMB have been battling to push the examination to no avail.

“This is no longer a fault from the centre, rather a hitch from the side of owners of the examination.

“The candidates for the second and final session will have to wait and get another biometric verification done before the time,” the centre administrator told NAN.

At the Al-Miyzan CBT centre, Ikotun-Idimu, the same issue was also recorded, as candidates scheduled for the 7.00 a.m. examination were affected by technical hitches on the system.

The centre  administrator told NAN that a complaint had been lodged at  JAMB, to see how the issue could be resolved.

They noted that candidates  affected would be sent emails  of when they they might likely be rescheduled for the examination.

Mrs Ajike Ajibola, a business woman,  whose daughter was posted to the centre, said that they left their home early so they could meet up with the 7.00 a.m examination.

“But my daughter told me she could not do any examination on entering the hall, because the system was not coming up.

“This is the  second time of bringing my children to this center, it is always this same issue.

“JAMB  officials must be aware of this situation and address it immediately, because my daughter must write her examination,”she said.

“Another parent, Mr Adeniyi Adesonkan, who said his son was affected, described the development as disappointing.

He said that the failure of technology during such critical events in the country was worrisome.

“My son had prepared rigorously for this examination but with this situation, he won’t be happy.

“JAMB officials should always monitor and supervise these centres before accrediting them,” he said.

Meanwhile, the examination began as scheduled in other centres visited, with record of few candidates coming in behind time and some others absent.

At the WAEC Test and Training Centre (WTTC) Ogba,  the exercise went smoothly,  with no incidents recorded for both the first and second sessions.

Prof. Ibrahim Imam, a supervisor for Centre 1 at the venue, told a  NAN correspondent that the exercise was hitch free.

“I want to say that so far, it has been a cosy ride. There has not been any hitch, impersonation or examination malpractice,  in any form.

“However, about four candidates did not show up for the examination at the centre.

“We started by 6.30 a.m. with the biometric verification and other necessary checks and so far it has been excellent.

“Even though it is Day 1 of this examination, we can comfortably say, this centre will be hitch free all through the exercise, because of the facilities and the  environment.

“The candidates too have been of good behaviour, just like members of staff of the centre, who have been at their best,  to ensure an excellent outing,” he said.

Dr Kolawole Mauruf, another supervisor at Centre 2 of the same WTTC, said that a total of 12 candidates did not show up in his own centre.

He said that 238 sat for the examination for the first session but could not say the number that were present for the second and final session for the day.

Some candidates that wrote the examination, however, complained of misplacement of options for some questions in the ‘Use of English’ paper.

Also, Mr Yomi Otubela, Proprietor, Lagooz School and CBT center, Agege, said that the two batches that sat for the examination at the centre recorded no hitches.

Otubela said though the examinations were just starting, the centre was fully prepared for the task.

“Any centre having issues this year must be from their end, because JAMB has provided necessary things for a seamless examination.

“From tomorrow, we will be expecting more candidates, because three batches are writing tomorrow,” he said.

UTME exercise in Ekiti hitch free – JAMB Coordinator

Meanwhile, JAMB has described the commencement of the 2024 UTME exercise in Ekiti State as hitch free.

The Coordinator of JAMB in Ekiti, Mr Hassan Lawal, said this after monitoring the exercise at different centres  in Ado-Ekiti on Friday.

Lawal said that the board was not unaware of past noticeable challenges, especially in the area of system functionality and had put in place necessary measures to ensure that the exercise runs seamlessly.

He maintained that technological advancement adopted by the board had made the examination much easier for candidates.

The coordinator revealed that though there was initial technical hitch when the first batch of candidates were writing the examination, but this was promptly corrected.

He said some parents who had thronged the examination centres earlier were prevented by security from getting close to the centres and the candidates as instructed by the board’s Registrar.

According to him, there was no issues of examination malpractices in the 13 centres monitored , while the server and computer system were operational for the candidates to write their examination.

Meanwhile, some of the candidates interviewed by NAN correspondent commended JAMB for ensuring a hitch free exercise and described the examination as an improvement on previuous exercises.

Miss Tolulope Ajayi, a candidate, said though the first batch candidates were faced with little technical challenges, saying the challenge was promptly rectified by the board’s engineers.

“The server and computer were in good condition as there was no difficulty for me navigating through the questions and choosing my answers,” she said.

Another candidate, David Ajiboye, urged the board to ensure the sustenance of the improvement recorded in the conduct of the UTME examination, saying that he had a seamless experience writing his examination.

“I can only urge the board to ensure the sustenance of this seamless exercise, especially as regard the issue of server and computer operations which was very seamless,” he said.

Cross Section of parents who spoke to NAN correspondent commended JAMB for putting in place adequate arrangements and necessary measures to ensure that the smooth conduct of the examination.

The examination taking place in over 700 centres nationwide, will  be concluded on April 29.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has directed all Computer-Based Test (CBT) centre owners to arrest any parent found near any of their facilities during the 2024 UTME exercise.

This is contained in Abuja on Thursday by the Board’s spokesperson, Dr Fabian Benjamin.

The board said directive became necessary following the intrusive disposition of some parents during the Board’s previous exercises.

The Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede said  that any parent, who disobeyed the order, would not only be arrested but his/her ward would also be disqualified from sitting the examination.

“The measure is necessary as it had been discovered over time that many of these intruding parents are facilitators of examination infractions while others have, by their actions, disrupted the board’s examinations in the past.

He added that some miscreants also disguised as parents to infiltrate the centres to perpetrate all forms of infractions.

Consequently, the registrar, urged  security operatives to work with the centres to apprehend any meddlesome parent, who come near the centres.

He said that going by the extant national policy on education, a candidate for the examination must have attained the age of 17 years.

“Therefore, it is evident that these parents had not allowed their wards to pass through the classes as defined in the document, hence, the determination to follow their wards to the examination venue with the aim of compromising examination officials.

“At any rate, it is clear to any discerning observer that these parents deserve to be sanctioned as they had obviously ‘smuggled’ underage children into the ranks of those scheduled to sit the examination.

“The Board also availed itself of the opportunity provided by the meeting to advise candidates to jealously guard their personal details, e-mail address, as well as their registration and phone numbers.

“This advice is issued against the backdrop of some candidates, who might be enticed into patronising any of those fraudulent websites out there,” he said .

He also informed candidates that if their personal details were found with any of such sites, they would be treated as accomplices and prosecuted.

Oloyede further said that all arrangements had been concluded for the conduct of the 2024 UTME, which would be held in over 700 CBT centres across the nation.

He disclosed that the Board expected a seamless exercise as it had made adequate provision to tackle any technical glitch that might occur in the course of the examination.

He, however, warned that if a session experienced any technical challenge, candidates in subsequent sessions would be allowed to sit their examination as scheduled.

He added that candidates in the challenged session would be rescheduled for the last session for the day or the following day or even further depending on the centre schedules.

“Candidates are to take note of this so that they will remain calm in the event of any disruption.

” In this wise, any candidate or parent, who disrupt any subsequent session on account of the failure of his/her session, would be disqualified outright from taking the examination,” he added.

Oloyede appealed to centre owners to consider the assignment as a national engagement and not as a purely profit venture, while urging them to expose the bad eggs among them.

The registrar recalled that hitherto, CBT centres were allowed to register Direct Entry candidates but this practice was discontinued owing to the predilection of some of them to engage in fraudulent acts

He said this was in spite of the many opportunities that the Board had created for them especially by ensuring that other agencies patronise them.

He, therefore, enjoined centre owners to eschew unwholesome acts or risk losing vital opportunities.

He expressed shock over multiple intelligence showing how the CBT centres have been making efforts to compromise the Board’s staff especially with the offer of accommodation.

He asked why they would want to do that when they constantly complain that what was paid them was not enough.

He said the centres should not hesitate to expose any staff, who ask for such favours as the Board had sufficiently paid its staff for the exercise in line with government regulations adding that any centre which persists in doing so, might have something to hide.

The registrar informed the participants that the board deployed state-of-the-art technologies to check all manners of infractions, collaborations and other unsavoury acts that were at variance with its code of operations.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has urged candidates sitting for the 2024 Mock-UTME scheduled to hold on March 7, to come into the examination hall with ordinary HP pencil for numerical analysis if they so desire.

This clarification became necessary following the series of enquiries from candidates and the general public regarding whether HP pencils are permitted in the examination hall as a writing material.

This is contained in a statement made available to newsmen by the Board’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr Fabian Benjamin in Abuja on Wednesday.

“It should be noted that the Board had hitherto prohibited the use of pencils and other banned materials in view of the nefarious ends that these materials are put.

“The Board has, however, okayed the use of ordinary HP pencil during the upcoming Mock-UTME and the main examination scheduled to commence on Friday, April 19.

“Consequently, candidates are urged to note that they are to come with only one pencil to their respective examination centres as specified while ensuring that they are not in possession of any other prohibited items,” he said.