Reviewing JAMB computer-based test

Reviewing JAMB computer-based test


The 2014/2015 Joint Admission and Matriculation Board examination for placement of students into various tertiary institutions across the country has thrown up several, inadequacies and challenges that have made it imperative for an urgent rethink of the model that has been adopted for the exercise. About 1.8 million candidates who sat for the examination were made to write the test through the use of computers. The method known as Computer Based Test (CBT) did not give an option for a paper and pencil based (PPBT) test. This was not the case in 2013/2014, when candidates where given an option to choose between the CBT and PPBT.

Also, unlike in 2013/2014 where students were allowed to register for the examination through any available cyber cafes, the 2014/2015 exercise limited registration for the examination to accredited and limited centers. The JAMB model runs contrary to the practice by similar examination bodies such as the West African Examination Council (WAEC), the National Examination Council (NECO) and the Technical Examination Board (NABTEB), who carry out their examination registrations online from any internet point.

The time for the CBT and PPBT option in the 2013/2014 gave room for more designated centres in which candidates could write the test. It is on record that as at 2013/2014 when the PPBT was allowed alongside the CBT about 4000 centres in 400 examination towns were available for students to choose from. This made it possible for students to write the examination in centres close to their areas of abode. This was not the case in the 2014/2015 exercise where the centres available reduced considerably to about 250. The limitation of the examination centres was such that candidates had to travel from their location to centres far away from them. In some cases, they had to travel from one town to the other.

Another reality of the limitation of the point of registration for the JAMB test is that business and employment were denied several private cyber cafe entrepreneurs thereby impacting negatively on the government’s drive to provide jobs to Nigerians and encourage small scale enterprises.

Also the limited number of Computer Based Test (CBT) Centers also denied easy access of candidates, who are scattered all over Nigeria, to registration and the eventual writing of the Matriculation Examination. Now, candidates have to travel to JAMB Computer Based Test (CBT) centers (often many kilometers away from their location) to register as well as write test.

The experience of several candidates during the 2014/2015 exercise makes the reversion of the CBT only option inevitable. There were reports, for instance, of how young children, many who had hitherto not left their immediate environment since birth, were subjected to maltreatment, denials of rights of choice of type of examination etc. From enquiry many of these students left their homes about 6:00am and did not finish from the examination centers until around 9:00pm, some as late as 12:00 midnight with no adequate supportive welfare for these kids.

Reports have it also, that those in WAEC centers for instance, because they finished late were packed like sardine into a hall to pass the night like refugees; not minding their ages and sex.

There was a case of non-functional computers in Owerri where candidates had to be “ferried” to Orlu for the examination. Most of these candidates finished around 9:00pm and were compelled to find their ways back to Owerri Town by commercial transport at the risk of their lives.

It is also unfortunate that many candidates that wrote the 2014/2015 examination could not receive their results, four days after, and in cases when some were released only two subjects out of four were released. All these are contrary to the reasons adduced by the CEO of JAMB for jettisoning the PPBT in preference for CBT only.

Apart from the attendant risks to our students, the CBT only method has also automatically increased the cost of registration with the payment of hotel bills for the candidates who had to travel from one town to the other, where there are computer facilities, with probably another escort who would accompany the candidate to the center for each of the processes. This model compels our young children to move en mass during the period of the examination across very dangerous and risky roads and environments, especially in a country with several security challenges.

My take, is that JAMB did not act in tandem with the challenge of our environment, the state of our children’s computer literacy and accessibility and may have lost its ability to think rationally in the best interest of our children and their parents or guardians and may have therefore outlived its usefulness. While one is not advocating the sack of the CEO of JAMB, he should be compelled to revert to status quo or worst still an adoption of a combination of both Paper and Pencil Test (PPT) along with the Computer Based Test (CBT), as it is the case even in the developed countries of the world.


By reverting to the 2013/2014 exercise where candidates were allowed to make a free choice between Paper Based Test (PBT) and Computer Based Test (CBT) will ensure that all the previously nearly 4000 centers and 400 examination towns are opened up on JAMB portals for registration by candidates. Computer literacy in the country is still very low and only a handful of schools are equipped with computers.

In working towards the CBT only method, which may be desirable in the long run, more so as it is in sync with the long term goal of the government to computerize our education system, JAMB should give a moratorium period of between 10-15 years before Computer Based Test (CBT) could possibly be made compulsory. This is the practice in some countries where this model was copied from. In the Netherlands which JAMB is modeling after, started working on this system for over 25 years now; and it is still to make CBT compulsory. It still allows for the PPBT, realizing the intricacies of computer technology in examination testing. This is despite the fact that Holland has every possible solutions to make technical logistics possible for a wholesale declaration of CBT.

I recommend that JAMB should allow for more time to enable Government and other stakeholders in education to equip more schools with computers and increase training on computer literacy as well as teachers for the subject Government should also make the teaching and learning of computer appreciation compulsory.

•Odeyinka, is the Chief Operating Officer, Numbers Communications Company (NCC).

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