One Computer Based Test (CBT) center in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara state, has been suspended by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) due to an alleged breach of registration guidelines, according to Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, the board’s registrar.
During an impromptu visit, Prof. Oloyede announced the closure of the DAMDAV CBT registration center in Ilorin’s Olorunsogo neighborhood. He also assured that the exam’s already scheduled date would not be changed and that no candidates would be forced to take the test while he was in charge.
In addition, Oloyede stated that as of Sunday, 445081 candidates had registered, but JAMB anticipates 1.8 before the activity is over.
He explained that the essence of the inspection was to ensure that the rules and regulation for this year’s JAMB registration are fully complied with and to convince members of the public that nobody needs to cut corners.
‘We have gone around since morning we have not discovered any JAMB candidate that has been extorted by one kobo. The essence of management is to be proactive. Last year when we discovered that there were pockets of agents extorting the candidates we decided that starting this year we are going to consolidate the payment.
“Registration points are supposed to collect N700. So we resolved to
collect money for them because if the candidates go there they will end up paying N1000,” he said.
Other JAMB registration centres visited in the Ilorin metropolis during the unscheduled visit include the University of Ilorin mini campus, Kwara State College of Education, Al-Hikmah University, Metro as well as the JAMB state office, all in Ilorin.
Prof Oloyede said,“I discovered in one place that instead of buying enough cameras, the owner of the centre bought only one. The name of the centre is Damdav CBT centre. And the possibility of missing the photographs is there and we immediately suspended the centre. The centre will not be allowed to register or conduct exams until thosethings are corrected.
“Elsewhere, it has been fine. We did not find any infractions, though we issued some corrections here and there. It has been excellent. We have not found one case of extortion. That is very gladdening for us.
“Our purpose is to ensure that candidates have confidence in the system. That will also increase their confidence in the country’s leadership.
“We won’t allow any individual to divert or pervert the cause of the system. As far as I am concerned other centres are already aware that there is no sacred cow. Anybody who crosses our line would be dealt with according to the rules.
” We have been fair to them. We will continue to make the business profitable for the CBT centres, but we will not allow them to extort the candidates.
“We do not expect any extension. As of yesterday, Sunday 445,081 candidates had registered. And we are expecting about 1.8 million candidates to register.
Speaking on the possibility of an extension of the registration deadline, Oloyede said that “we have gone halfway. You see some of our people will come to register at the last hour thinking that there will be an extension.
“There is no room for extension. We had made provision for the
registration of 100,000 per day. And now we are registering 60,000 per day. So they are the ones not coming up.”