Cyber cafés no longer handle UTME registration

With effect from next year, cyber cafés will no longer be accredited as centres where candidates can register for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Prof Dibu Ojerinde, Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), said registration should now be done at the 156 centres that would be used for the Computer Based Tests (CBT).
To this end, Ojerinde, who delivered the keynote address at the opening of a three-day national conference on Science, Technology and Mathematics Education, at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) on Monday, warned prospective candidates of the dangers of registering in cyber cafés.
Should they run into trouble with processing their examination and results, the JAMB boss said they would have themselves to blame.
The Registrar said JAMB has given registration to the 156 centres to minimise the atrocities perpetrated by operators of unapproved cafés.
Speaking on the theme, Application of new technologies in Science, Technology and Mathematics Education, Ojerinde said that there is no going back on full migration of the UTME from paper to Computer Based Test (CBT) from next year.
To this end, he said preparations are in top gear to ensure that the CBT/UTME is successful.
He said: “There is no going back to our proposed all CBT for our UTME come 2015. I want to assure the public that we are working round the clock to ensure that we record huge success during our 2015 all computer test.

“We are creating more centres nationwide in addition to the existing ones that we have been using before now.  This is to ensure a successful migration into the CBT mode as well as ensure that the candidates are carried along.
“We are looking forward to having about 1.6 million prospective candidates registering for the examination nationwide, including the visually impaired, who we have also taken into consideration as we prepare for the examination.”
Despite his optimism, Ojerinde said the board has faced some challenges in migrating to CBT.
He said many skeptics in the system have opposed the move because they could not fathom how the technology would work with erratic power supply and lack of electrification in rural areas.
He also claimed there is a local and international conspiracy threatening the development of CBT in Nigeria.
Poor budgetary allocation, he explained, was also making it difficult to meet its obligations.
With the general elections holding next year, the JAMB Boss said the date of the examination may be brought forward from April to March.
Earlier in her welcome address, the Acting Head, Department of Science and Technology Education, organisers of the conference, Uju Esiobu said the meeting was to afford educators of Science, Technology and Mathematics (STM) and practitioners to brainstorm on how to use ICT to enhance STM education.
source: http://thenationonlineng.net/new/cyber-cafes-no-longer-handle-utme-registration/

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