5/25/13 Parents, JAMB disagree over UTMEs high failure ratewww.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=122412:parents-jamb-disagree-over-utmes-high-failure-rate&catid=80:education&I 1/3YOU AREHERE:EDUCATION PARENTS, JAMB DISAGREEOVER UTMES HIGH FAILURERATEParents, JAMB disagree over UTMEs high failurerateUser Rating:/ 13 Poor BestRATEThe recent release of this years Unified TertiaryMatriculation Examination has sparked off angry reactionsfrom candidates and their parents, who accused the JointAdmissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) of inefficiency;a charge the boards Registrar, Prof Dibu Ojerinde has firmlyrejected. MARY OGAR and UJUNWA ATUEYI examine thevarious arguments tabled by those for and against theboard.THEJoint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has come under intense verbal attacks fromcandidates, their parents and other stakeholders over its handling of this years Unified TertiaryMatriculation Examination (UTME).According to the boards Registrar, Prof Dibu Ojerinde, out of the 1, 644, 110 candidates that sat for theexamination, 1, 629, 102 applied to sit for the Paper Pencil Test (PPT), while a paltry 15, 008 othersopted for the Dual Based Test.Only 10 candidates scored above 300 marks out of 400, while 127, 017 scored between 1 and 159marks. About 40, 692 results were declared invalid due to either multiple shading or no shading atall while 47, 974 candidates were absent.Like last years edition, this years UTME was fraught with many problems all over the country. Therewere cases of candidates who could not find their names on the day of the examination; some had thewrong combination of subjects assigned to them; the so-called biometric system also failed in manycentres with many laptops used for process running out of battery power.But Ojerinde could not be bothered. He has put the blame squarely in the candidates, accusing themof either engaging in multiple shading or not shading the appropriate boxes. He also blamed thecandidates over the withheld results, insisting that the results of 68, 309 candidates from variouscentres would have to undergo further screening to ascertain the number of those who engaged inmalpractice.For some stakeholders, the yearly JAMB crisis has again put a question mark on its ability to assureuniversities, polytechnics and colleges of education of the credibility of the UTME scores.The latest development has also reopened the controversial debate on the Post-UTME test,introduced in 2005 by the universities and which has endured.Former Education Minister, Dr Chinwe Obaji and Ojerindedisagreed over the post-UTME test at thattime.Ojerinde, who appeared before the Senate Committee on Education investigating the legality ofTHURSDAY, 23 MAY 2013 00:00 MARY OGAR AND UJUNWA ATUEYIFEATURES - EDUCATIONFEATURED SECTIONAgro CareIbru EcumenicalFood & DrinkFocusNatural HealthLawWeekendFriday ReviewFriday WorshipAuto WheelsFashionPolicy & PoliticsScienceMediaEducationTax WatchYouth SpeakVISITORS COMMENTSNGF Election: AmaechiWins, Despite OddsHow to Submit YouReport ArticlesHealthcare Delivery InOgunWhy our society isunderdevelopedPossible solutions to ourfailed higher institutionsA Eulogy To SheilaNUT strike affectsresumption of schools inLagosUduaghan'sindependence gift SEARCH GUARDIAN WEBSITEOrganising With Boxes 25.05.13Home Care Tips 25.05.13Glamour At Design For Life Fashion Show 25.05.13I Support Autonomy Of The Local Governments 25.05.13I See Trouble Ahead 25.05.13LATEST FEATURED NEWS PICTURES MOST READHOME NEWS BUSINESS OPINION SPORT PROPERTY APPOINTMENTS COMPULIFE FEATURES ART PHOTO GALLERY CLASSIFIEDSLIFE MAGAZINE SATURDAY MAGAZINE POLLS SUNDAY MAGAZINE ABOUT US SEARCH LOGINSaturday, May 25th Last update 11:00:00 PM GMT HEADLINES: Borno Reduces Water Supply To 40 Million Litres5/25/13 Parents, JAMB disagree over UTMEs high failure ratewww.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=122412:parents-jamb-disagree-over-utmes-high-failure-rate&catid=80:education&I 2/3Post-UTME, called for its cancellation, accusing universities of using the test to rip-offuniversity admission-seekers. But Obaji had also argued that the test was an intervention bygovernment to address the JAMBs failure to ensure the sanctity of its examination. To Ojerinde thePost-UTME test was another matriculation examination that contravenes the law-establishing JAMB.But Obaji insisted that there was no correlation in the high scores presented by many candidates andtheir actual performance in semester examinations.Ojerinde, who appeared on a Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) programme at the weekend said over700,000 candidates scored 180 and above in this years examination. According to him, somecandidates entered Paper Type as A, B, C, D when the types were composed of D, I, B, U (From hisname initials), attributing the fake paper type to plans by some of the students to cheat and beat thesystemWhile the Registrar insisted that students were no longer serious about their studies, he accusedmost of them of failing to read the two novels recommended by JAMB in a particular subject fromwhich questions were set. Contrary to the accusations of complacency, Ojerinde expressedconfidence in the boards marking process. He challenged candidates who feel that their scripts werenot properly marked, to visit JAMBs office from June 1st to get them remarked. He also pledged acompensation of N100, 000 for any candidates if errors were confirmed in the marking of their scripts.However, Ojerinde recently announced that over 227,000 results withheld for lack of Biometric DataVerification have now been released after scrutiny. He also disclosed that the board would scrap thePaper Pencil Test in 2015. He said: By 2015, we will be asking candidates to go fully into ComputerBased Testing. But that again depends on availability of centers. For now, we have only 70 centers allover the country and this is not sufficient. We are encouraging as many individuals, who canparticipate in this project to go and build their centers, then we will patronize them.Vice Chancellor of Caleb University, Imota, Prof Ayodeji Olukoju said: With all the crisis, JAMB has tolook at its operations and seek avenues for improvement. It is unfortunate that students would have tobe subjected to all these rigours because the responsibility is on the universities to now also act as aclearing house. With the challenge of access to higher education, we would now have a smallernumber of candidates to take in and make the best out of a bad situation.To the Dean of Humanities, Bowen University, Iwo, Osun state, Professor Dan Izeubaye, those callingfor the scrapping of JAMB are missing the point. Rather than extinguish it as some have advocated, headvised that JAMBs weakness should be corrected through adequate measures to erase corruptionand cheating.His words: Jamb is a good idea and should not be scrapped. There is a defect but it can becorrected. JAMBs Registrar should look for a way to block the corruption and cheating going on. Ifgovernment scraps JAMB, we are going to have the problem of multiple applications and theexploitation of institutions will increase.However, Rector of the Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, Dr. Jacob Olusola Agboola, condemned theconduct of the last UTME,stressing that it was characterized by a mismatch of candidates data,which resulted into various problems.For instance, he complained, the names of some students were missing from the list of candidates,in addition to other logistic problems, which interfered with the reliability the test. If the conduct washitch free as JAMB has claimed, these problems will not emanate. JAMB should follow the normalprocedure and do things appropriately to avoid all these errors.To the Dean, School of Environmental Studies, Federal Polytechnic Ilaro, Mr. Olusegun Aluko JAMB ismoving faster than necessary and is not considering the interest of the students who are the mostimportant factor. He said: What is the advantage of students get their results immediately after theexamination, when they cannot use it? Why is JAMB so much in a hurry to release results that will beused in three or four months time? If JAMB can release results in two or three weeks and take time todo it properly, we have not lost anything as a country. But this computer-based thing and all the issuesand problems associated with have not solved any of the problem we had before they (JAMB)embarked on it.Somebody did her fingerprint for her picture and at the end of the day, they said it could not be found.Why? Because they are too much in a hurry to release result in the next hour. Again, some of thecomputers they gave their officials were not well charged. They trip off anytime, thereby bringing aboutloss of information. JAMB is depending so much on electricity to solve problems when electricityproblems in the country have not been solved. We like deceit in this country. If JAMB could do acredible examination, we wont actually have any need for a post UTME test.However, the Acting Registrar, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, Abdullahi Ahmed Kundila has acontrary opinion. JAMB is not to be blamed, he declared. JAMB has done nothing wrong. Thestudents are to be blamed and may be the general system of education in the country should beblamed. When you go to most secondary schools in the Nigeria, you will discover that they lack basiclearning facilities and in most cases, some of their teachers are not qualified. 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Website Developed by First Enterprise Solutions Ltd.Site hosted & maintained by NT-Global Networks Ltd.CONTACT US ADVERTISING GUIDE PRESS OFFICE SUBSCRIBERS TERMS OF USE PRIVACY POLICY ABOUT US RESET USER SETTING TOPJCommentsThe second Vice President, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Dr Segun Ajibola, said:JAMB has done a lot to instill some discipline into the Nigerian admission system by regulating entryinto higher institutions generally. But one thing is that JAMB is running faster than its leg can carry itand the country as a whole. They have been moderating the examination very well, but my personalopinion is that introducing the online examination at this point, considering the level of computerliteracy in the country, especially among secondary school students, is rather coming too early.Meanwhile, some candidates who spoke with The Guardian expressed disappointment over thescores allocated to them, alleging that most of them were failed by JAMB because the boardbelieved that some questions leaked days before the date of the examination.Deaconess Funso Ayorinde, a teacher and parent said: If JAMB claims that some candidates hadanswer scripts before the examination, why didnt they cancel and reschedule the examination? Whyare they in a hurry to conduct an examination characterized by fraud and subsequently delay innocentcandidates whose results are withheld? By the way, where did the candidates get the scripts from, orare they also from the parents?Another parent and teacher from Government Secondary School Akankpa, Cross River State, Mrs.Abuokwen Mary, whose son wrote the examination, pleaded with the board not to punish allcandidates because of the deeds of some corrupt ones.This is the second time my son is writing the UTME and having his result withheld. He wrote the WestAfrican Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) once and made nine credits. Officials ofJAMB should be vigilant enough to identify such culprits in the hall, and not suspending others whomight be innocent of the act. she saidAccording to her, JAMB should not be scrapped because the admission process in Nigeria mightbecome a rich mans affair.Another parent and a trader living at Ikotun, on the outskirts of Lagos, Mrs. Nonye Ndukwu, whosedaughter wrote the UTME for the second time said:I dont understand this negative marking by JAMB.My childs result is poor and she has been crying her eyes out ever since she saw her result.Her daughter, Chioma, told The Guardian: I wanted to study Microbiology at Nnamdi AzikiweUniversity, but as it is now, I can go for any course at any institution. I cant wait for another one year. Myyounger siblings are already mocking me and I cant stand their mockery this time.Meanwhile, some SS2 and SS3 students have called on the government to scrap JAMB. According to aSenior Secondary 2 (SS2) student of International School, University of Lagos, Miss Ona Akinde,JAMB should discontinue organizing the UTME since they do not have the necessary tools or ability tocontrol malpractices. There should be some form of basic examination into higher institutions.Her friend Osonwa Ihuoma, said: when JAMB was established, it was very good. But right now, I dontthink we should continue with it. I heard a lot of people have written three to four times and this is verydiscouraging. All these corrupt candidates will manoeuver and get high scores in the UTME, therebyreducing the chances of brilliant ones who cannot toe their path. I think I prefer the post UTME test.Also, Nwani Chikamso of St. Finbarrs College, Lagos said: JAMB should be scrapped because it isthe only examination with so many malpractices and irregularities, putting the chances of brilliant onesat stake. But if it must continue, then let the UTME be computer based.But Nwobu Chukwuka from Kings College, said: It (JAMB) should be scrapped whether computerbased or not. If it is computer based, there are some people that are gurus in computer dynamics,who will still find ways of cheating.< Prev Next >Author of this article: MARY OGAR and UJUNWA ATUEYIWant to make a comment? it's quick and easy! Click here to Log in or Register