•JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede
Following the admission of error in the just-concluded Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) by the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, education consultant, Julius Opara, has called for a review of the body’s exam process, while emphasising the need to put accountability measures in place for its staff and officials.
Opara, who described the development as a huge blow to the integrity of the examination body, stressed the need for JAMB to avoid a recurrence of this ‘humongous error,’ reports The Guardian.
Recall that the agency arranged a resit examination for 379,997 candidates affected by technical glitches in the five states of South-East and Lagos to retake the examination.
Oloyede had at a media briefing in Abuja revealed that 206,610 candidates in 65 centres were affected in Lagos, and 92 centres in Owerri zone, comprising 173,387 candidates in the five states of the South-East, were affected.
The consultant called for immediate improvement in quality control and a quick review of the entire examination process. He advised the body to consider an automated grading system to reduce human errors, or whatever may have been responsible for the latest problems.
Opara also expressed concerns over the psychological effects this development will have on students who were made to resist the examination. He said that for JAMB to avoid a repeat of the problem, it must also schedule regular system updates to prevent technical issues.
“The recent errors highlight the importance of robust quality assurance protocols and effective maintenance. We lack a maintenance culture in Nigeria. While JAMB has taken responsibility for the mistakes and is working to identify them, the incident has had a huge impact on the candidates. Beyond coming out to apologise, the registrar must address these issues,” Opara stated.
