JAMB wants cameras in exam centres for 2017 exercise

Is-haq Oloyede, registrar of Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), says the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) must be taken under camera surveillance.

The registrar said this on Friday during a briefing in Abuja.

Oloyede said there is nowhere in the world where computer-based tests are conducted without surveillance cameras as it’s a measure to prevent examination malpractice.

To this effect, he implored CBT operators to install cameras in the exam centers before 2017 UTME.

“We believe that certain things should be done. For example, we are conducting the Computer-Based Test, I’m not aware of anywhere in the world where you do the CBT without CCTV.

“If you are not caught during the examination, you can be caught after the examination because the whole thing will be under coverage.

“And that is the one instrument that we have been telling CBT operators in the last three weeks and we are not going to compromise that, beginning from the 2017 UTME,” he said.

The registrar also noted that the board has not started the sale of 2017 cards so candidates should be careful of not purchasing fake exam forms.

“I can say clearly that I don’t know when we are going to start the sales of forms. All we want to do is to make sure that things that ought to be in place are in place.

“I cannot tell you exactly when it will be, but I know that sales will commence sooner than later. Why am I saying so? For instance, we are meeting with the heads of other examination bodies.

“We don’t want a situation where pupils will be put under pressure to give up either West African Senior School Certificate Examination or National Examination Council or any other examination whenever they are taking place simultaneously. That is one of the things we want to avoid.

“Our examination is a ranking examination, not an achievement examination. This is why we are saying that it is not to extend the validity because the test is to be taken just once.

“We want to work with other examination bodies to ensure that the interest of the pupils is protected,” Oloyede said.