By JOHN ONAH, Abuja –
The 2021 Unified Tertiary Examination (UTME), has begun across the various Computer Based Test (CBT) centres in the country.
At the CBT centres located at Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), Jabi and Global Distance Learning Centre, Central Area, Abuja, the exercise was going on smoothly.
It would be recalled that over 1.3 million candidates successfully registered for the 2022 UTME, while over 75, 000 registered for Direct Entry.
A high opinion leader’s observer, Abike Dabiri, The Special Media Adviser to The Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Adulrahaman Balogun, who monitored both in JSS Jikwoyi and Global Distance Learning Centre, noted that: “in Jss centre in Karu-Jikwoyi axis for almost one and half hour the system develop fault and so they have to quickly bring in some of their technical staff to ensure they are in order”.
“As at the time I left the place they are still working on it and they are having two sessions as at 9:18 they have not started as they said they want them to start at the same time if not they would have allowed those that their systems are working to start but coming to global distance learning the story is different”.
“The systems here are working and the arrangements were so perfect the facilities were in good shape and it is a good effort for jamb”.
Speaking on mock exam, he noted that the exam is to fix any problems that may likely occur and they anticipated some of these problems and fixed them so they have backup for it.
“We really have to commend the board for the work done in terms of anticipating challenges and they are able to fix it in time”.
According to him, there were no malpractices from the centres he have monitored.
“The students were well behaved before they go into the examinations hall, JAMB already tutored them, they screen them and after the screening they can go in, so there are no malpractices and they also tutored them what they are supposed to do. Therefore, we need to commend JAMB for this wonderful job”.
In an interview with a candidate at the centre, Aisha Mouhktar said, “We were given instructions on how to start. The examinations were good as expected, no technical issues. It was just a candidate that couldn’t submit but someone helped him out”.
Also, Dr Cletus Akwaya, who monitored the exam at the Global Distance Learning Centre, however, expressed concern on the number of parents and guardians that clustered around the centre.
He called for the provision for canopies to accommodate such individuals outside the exam venue, even as he poured encomiums on JAMB for the hitch free exercise.
At Royal Midland Centre located in Aunty Alice School in One-man Village, Nasarawa State, the centre supervisor, Obekpa Queen, disclosed that examination did not start on time as the generators had issues and some sections of the systems were faulty.
“We went through the systems yesterday and they were fine but I don’t know. Because their generator shut down so we had to fix it. It took time to boot back”.
“So it wasted like an hour. We have 245 students here but they were not all able to start at the same time because of the system. So 27 of them didn’t start on time. We have two sessions for today; morning and noon, for 245 candidates in each session,” she said.
Ms. Obekpa also disclosed that there were no absentees but the thumbprint could not capture one person who was asked to go back and contact JAMB, while another candidate came late after others were seated and was not able to write.
One of the candidates, Master Ayuba Perez, said the examination was well-organised as invigilators were all composed and everything went smoothly after commencemnt, noting however, that there was power outage at the beginning and the centre managers had to restart the generator.
Another candidate, Anita Haruna, said: “The exam was good and I pray that I should pass. My answers to the questions were perfectly good,”. She noted that there were no technical challenges and everything worked perfectly well.
Spokesperson of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, said the examination which is being conducted in about 757 Computer Based Test, CBT, Centres nationwide, would be completed on July 3, 2021
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