By Uzor Maxim Uzoatu
The 2022 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) left much to be desired as some centres could NOT sit for the examination while in other centres electricity and network problems made a mess of the examination. In some other centres that sat for the examination, there results were not published.
Some of the candidates could not sit for the examination due to no fault of theirs, and this great tragedy is somewhat being swept under the carpet, despite several protestations. A typical example occurred at 12 Noon on Tuesday, May 10, 2022 at the examination centre in Anplus International Services, via Afor Market Bypass, on Agulu to Nnewi Road, in Adazi-Nnukwu, Anambra State. All the candidates could not write the examination, and all pleas to have it re-scheduled fell on deaf ears.
The plight of the candidates who were due to write the examination at Anplus International Services, Adazi-Nnukwu was not an isolated case as some other centres in the Awka/Enugwu-Ukwu area in Anambra State suffered a similar fate.
Many of the centres experienced grave technical problems such as power outage and computer malfunctioning, etc. Given the low technological base of the centres, it is obvious that multiform problems would crop up in undertaking Computer Based Tests (CBTs).
JAMB as an institution ought to be on top of the problems by attending to them quickly when they do crop up so that no candidate will end up being deprived after paying all the dues. It is incumbent on JAMB to undertake a review of this year’s examination so that all the mistakes can be remedied.
The candidates should not be left with the short end of the stick when the mishaps are not of their own making but entirely and squarely that of JAMB. This is a nationwide problem that needs a holistic approach by JAMB in finding its solution across board.
The problem with electricity supply appears somewhat impossible to solve as yet, and there is the matter that internet penetration across the nooks and crannies of Nigeria is quite low. Now that these problems are known, JAMB should not duck away as if the clear and present issues do not matter.
The CRIES and FRUSTRATIONS of students should not be left unattended to. JAMB should and must correct her SHORTCOMINGS.