JAMB punishes CBT centre officials for forcing candidate to remove hijab before UTME

The CBT centre at Bafuto Institute in Ejigbo Lagos stopped a candidate from writing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) over hijab wearing.

The 2024 UTME commenced on April 19 and ends on April 29.

JAMB had listed several dos and don’ts including dress ornaments that must be kept out of the exam centres.

This, the board had stated, was to prevent incidences where such accessories are used to commit malpractice.

The centre at Bafuto Institute in Ejigbo Lagos stopped a candidate donning the hijab from entering the exam hall.

The controversy, it was reported, occurred over the weekend.

The hijab is a headscarf worn by Muslim women; it conceals the hair and neck and usually has a face veil that covers the face.

The candidate was asked to remove her headcover during the accreditation process before being allowed into the examination hall.

This has generated mixed reactions and discourse about religious tolerance in media circles.

JAMB, on Sunday, clarified that the incident is not linked to its examination guidelines.

Fabian Benjamin, the board’s head of public affairs and protocol, described the incident as the product of the “misplaced priority” of some of the board’s accredited partners or officials who “claimed ignorance” of the board’s guidelines on accreditation.

He said JAMB’s accreditation procedure ensures that all candidates are screened, allowing only female officials to screen female candidates before granting them access to the hall.

Benjamin said JAMB has no policy barring candidates from sporting the paraphernalia peculiar to their religious persuasions.

“The board deeply regretted the incident. This situation was instantly addressed by a senior official of the board at the centre and the candidate in question was allowed in after the usual checks with her hijab,” he added.

Benjamin said the officials involved have been sanctioned to deter others from toeing the same path.

“The board assures the general public that this issue would be properly investigated to prevent a recurrence and nothing would be swept under the carpet,” he said.