THE Joint Admissions
and Matriculation Board
(JAMB) will commence
the conduct of e-
testing of the Unified
Tertiary Matriculation
Examination (UTME)
next year.
The Registrar and Chief
Executive Officer of the
board, Professor Dibu
Ojerinde, made this
known in Abuja, on
Monday, when he
received members of
the Senate Committee
on Education.
He said the board had
concluded
arrangements for the
partial introduction of
the e-testing for the
first two years, and
that in following year
would be fully
implemented, adding
that plans were already
on for the
establishment of e-
testing centres.
The Minister of
Education, Hajia
Ruqqayatu Rufai, had
last urged universities in
the country to establish
centres, which would
also be used by JAMB in
the
administration of e-
testing.
Professor Ojerinde also
informed the
lawmakers that several
universities in the
country had the ICT
centres, with some
having over 2000
computers.
He said when the e-
testing was fully
implemented, it would
enable the board
release results the
same day.
He said the introduction
of biometrics had
reduced the incidence of
examination malpractice
by 0.54 per cent during
the 2012 UTME.
Professor Ojerinde
denounced reports on
the existence of special
centres, saying that
when he assumed
office as JAMB
registrar, the board had
abolished such centres
since 2008.
He also told the Senate
Committee on Education
that the board was also
collaborating effectively
with security agencies
for a hitch-free conduct
of the examination and
to reduce the problem
of examination
malpractices.
The chairman, Senate
Committee on
Education, Senator Uche
Chukwumerije, while
commending the board
for the improved
conduct of the UTME,
urged the board to
ensure that the ratio
60:40 admission ratio in
favour of the sciences
was implemented.
The Senate also urged
the board to furnish it
with the statement of
account of the five
banks the JAMB was
operating.
