Alhaji Kamaldeen Oladeji, an official of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), on Wednesday said that the examination body would create more Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres in Lagos.
Oladeji, the Coordinator, JAMB National Headquarters Annex, Lagos, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the centres would be ready ahead of this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
He said that the examination was scheduled for April and May and JAMB anticipated that about 75 per cent of the candidates would register on the computer-based platform.
“Currently we are planning to use institutions like the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, the Lagos State Polytechnic and the Lagos State University.
“They are in addition to the institutions already being used such as the University of Lagos and the Yaba College of Technology.
“Again, we are also considering some ICT-based corporate organisations such as Prime Innovation Institute of Technology on Lekki-Epe Expressway and Audax Solution, for the CBT examination.
“However, the proposed centres, especially the tertiary institutions, must have functional desktops, Computer System Cable and Local Area Network, with a minimum of 150 Systems and a minimum of five technical personnel at the centres.”
Oladeji said that the centres were also required to have, among other things, electricity backup such as generators and inverters.
According to him, some private schools in Lagos State have also indicated interest in hosting the examination.
Oladeji said that schools which met the requirements for the conduct of the CBT would have a lot to benefit from the arrangement.
He said the gadgets used for the examination would boost teaching and learning in the schools thereafter.
The coordinator urged candidates for this year’s examination to prepare themselves adequately, especially those opting for the CBT.
He noted that this year would be the last time candidates would be given the Paper and Pencil Test (PPT) and the Dual-Based Test (DBT) as other options in the UTME.
“The CBT is the future and so candidates must try and apply themselves to the use of Information Communication Technology.”
He said that the CBT mode of the examination had ensured prompt delivery of scores, elimination of results blackout and reduction of examination malpractice to the barest minimum.
According to him, it has also helped in reducing cases of impersonation.
NAN reports that JAMB, which conducts the UTME, had introduced the CBT mode in 2013, but allowed candidates to opt to write the examination in any of the three modes. (NAN)
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