The JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede said the nationwide mop-up Unified Tertiary Matrication Examination (UTME) conducted by the board on Saturday has further exposed how examination malpractice syndicate operates with sophistication in the country.
Indication to this emerged when over 80 per cent of the 98,232 candidates eligible for Saturday’s mop-up UTME exercise failed to turn up and the examination held in virtually empty halls in most Computer-based Test (CBT) centres across the states of the Federation.
JAMB attributed the low turnout of candidates to intensified security measures targeting impersonators and examination cheats.
In Awka, Anambra State, three candidates were arrested during biometric verification where it was discovered that the pictures in the system were those of different persons. The suspects were said to have confessed to security agencies on interrogation that different persons registered to take the examination on their behalf but declined to appear for the mop-up UTME examination because of fear of arrest.
Oloyede, who monitored the exercise at the Technology CBT Centre in NAF Valley Estate, Abuja, confirmed the development, noting that other arrests have also been made of suspects for impersonation.
He told newsmen that the turnout nationwide was alarmingly low, with only about 12 per cent of registered candidates showing up across the country.
In NAF Valley CBT Centre, for instance, only 15 candidates appeared out 250 and sat for the examination during the first session.
Oloyede noted that one disturbing trend is the recruitment of undergraduate students from universities by examination fraudsters he described as “bunch of examination malpractice syndicate” to sit examination on behalf of candidates for fees.
He, however, explained that unknown to them the Board’s processes are foolproof, and could not allow someone to impersonate another undetected.
The JAMB Registrar vowed that the fraudsters might appear to be running away, the security agencies would go after them since the Board has full details of the candidates. “We have all information about them, at least the candidates”.
Oloyede noted that mop-up UTME examinations are typically organized for a few thousand candidates with legitimate reasons such as illness or verified technical issues to miss the main UTME.
“Every year, we do mop-up. And it is normally for about 4,000, 5,000 students. Who for illness, for genuine excuse could not take the exam. Or who after review, we saw had technical problems in their centers. This is normally for about 4,000, 5,000. Every year we do that,” he said.
He explained that this year’s large mop-up pool was necessitated by allegations of widespread absences in the main examination, saying the Board opted to give everyone a second chance—while also leveraging intelligence gathered from security agencies.
“In the wisdom of the management and our stakeholders, we felt everybody (who missed the exam) should be given opportunity. Whether for whatever reason that you did not make it. But again, we also knew that we are wiser.
“Given the work that we have done in conjunction with the SSS and the police. We have been able to get some intelligence, some information that we could use. To really apprehend those who are impersonating in particular.
“So we now felt that it’s better to keep the door open as wide as possible. At least to apprehend (impersonators). And then you can see that the turnout throughout the country is far, far below what you would expect. Those who even indicated coming out of the 90,000, there are about 12,000 plus. Who eventually, who indicated that they were coming,” he said.
He added that some CBT centres expecting 250 candidates per session recorded fewer than 20 attendees, which he said was anticipated.
“Because what you have is a bunch of syndicates. Particularly those who say they are tutorial centers. They are some private school proprietors who have become syndicates of examination malpractice,” Oloyede said, adding that with the determination of the Ministry of Education to lead this war, exam malpractice would be reduced to the barest minimum.
The JAMB boss also disclosed that some individuals attempted to cheat by falsely declaring themselves as albino in a bid to exploit facial recognition vulnerabilities.
“We have never had even up to 100 albinos any year. But this year you have 1,787 albinos. Those who declared to be albino, 1,787.
Credit: Tribuneonline
