Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, recently concluded what may well be the best Post-UME Examinations in Nigeria in the last decade or so. Preparatory to the examinations, after the Universal Matriculation Examinations (UME) of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), UNIZIK authorities requested and obtained biometric scanners directly from JAMB. The scanners contained the database of the candidates who were billed to sit for the Post-UME examinations in UNIZIK. Then the university’s vice-chancellor set up an Examinations and Admissions Monitoring Committee, to monitor all examinations in the university; including all its admissions processes. The committee reports directly to the vice-chancellor.
Come the days of the Post-UME exams, the biometric scanners were used at the different examination venues within the university. Members of the vice-chancellor’s monitoring committee actively worked with those doing the actual physical scanning of all UNIZIK Post-UME candidates. Beyond these measures, the university security personnel were also at all the examination venues and halls, to safeguard the property and also to instantly intervene in the event of there being the need to apprehend and take away nay identified impersonators or persons of unacceptable conduct. The State Security Service (SSS) was also on notice.
The first step in the exercise of conducting the Post-UME examinations began with the screening of the papers of all those entering the university on the days of the examinations. This started at the university gates and only those with documents to show that they were duly billed for the examinations were allowed to enter the university. Parents were constrained to drop their children at the university gate. Pleas and recriminations availed angry parents and guardians nothing, as those who tried to prove that their position in society qualified them to drive through the gates against the school regulation regarding the examinations achieved nothing. Only the university staff and other duly designated persons, such as staff of some banks located within the university campus, were permitted to enter.
Then came the actual biometric scanning, which took place at the individual examination halls and venues within the university. As the thumb printing of the candidates began, the following interesting results began to emerge. In some cases the computer will show a face different from the owner of the thumb. This meant that the thumbprint is that of the impersonator, while the passport photograph submitted to JAMB is that of the actual applicant for the university. Thus, the impersonator was simply a mercenary who had been paid to write the examination.
In some other cases, the thumbprint would be found not to exist in the JAMB database, but when the candidate’s registration number is entered in the computer, the candidate’s picture would appear. All such candidates had the same explanation for this “JAMB Computer Error”, namely that the thumbprint is not in the database because someone else thumb printed for the candidate. Brilliant! I can imagine a situation where three people would turn up to be interviewed for a bank job and one of candidates decides to borrow passport photographs from his friends because he did not bring any along! As for the UNIZIK aspiring examination cheats, the clockwork reaction of the security team and the vice-chancellor’s examinations and admissions committee was: Could you please step aside and explain to the security personnel – and the security people were on hand to escort the persons concerned to the appropriate quarters.
But there were interesting cases where, even though the thumbprint and the passport picture were found to be genuine, the invigilators in the hall now found these ‘legitimate’ candidates who genuinely registered for the Post-UME writing a different name and a different registration number on the computer OMR sheet. These details are totally different from the ones on the Post-UME print out. What could have possibly happened? It turned out that the genuine candidate bought two forms and filled the first with his correct details. Then the impostor filled the second form and entered the hall on the examination day, while the genuine candidate stayed at home. His details are in the database, so he could enter the hall. But he fills in the details of the genuine candidate on his answer sheet and steps out looking like he has been of good behaviour. Of course, all the candidates with this peculiar brand of reprehensible creativity were also required to explain what happened and how much they were paid for their ‘inspired’ work.
In some other cases, the thumbprint was found to be genuine, while the accompanying photographs were found to be a bit blurred. Such candidates were also found to have bought two JAMB forms. They both had his thumb print, but the two forms had different numbers. The picture on the forms had to be blurred and sufficiently to allow the ‘candidate’ the benefit of the doubt in the event of questioning by the examiners. This would enable anyone at all to enter the hall with unclear image and write the actual JAMB examinations. In such cases, the two ‘candidates’ would write the examinations and the genuine candidate would simply take over the registration number with the higher JAMB score. With that, he/she comes for the Post-UME. Not knowing that the UNIZIK authorities have organised very special reception party, such candidates ran into trouble waters in Awka. Post-UME candidates with such problems were all made to explain themselves to the security men, who quietly lead them away from the examination halls venue.
Then there were cases of candidates who were getting answers to the questions via their mobile phones, this is in spite of the fact that everyone was told not to enter the examination halls with their telephones. How could the senders of the answers have got the question papers to be able to send in the correct answers? Many were just duped!!! Imagine such candidates ending up with the security men, even though they got the wrong answers over their handsets!!!
Strangely, there were candidates who actually sent out the questions over their phones. It was all a simple matter of using sophisticated security wristwatches with camera and phone functions. All they had to do was take a snapshot of the question page at a time and, thereafter, send it to those who subsequently forward. They had all been previously briefed, paid and positioned for their ‘jobs’. Since the answers always came with the phone numbers of the senders it was relatively easy for the security men to take such defaulting candidates away from the hall and trick the senders of the answers into a rendezvous where they were picked up.
What happened after the initial biometric screening exercise is also a matter of special interest; and it shows the presence of mind of the UNIZIK authorities. There was peace all over the place, as though the university was on holiday. But then, many things can happen during waiting times in all circumstances. “Sir, I want to ease myself” translated into attempts by those who went to ease themselves to ‘replace themselves’ with paid hirelings who tried to enter in their stead. Scanning of the returnees, all holding the printout to prove their identity, revealed the discrepancy. First, the print out is not so clear. Then the thumbprint is not in the database. Meanwhile, this information was in the same database when you thumb printed the candidate about 40 minutes earlier! Could JAMB have wiped off his thumb print within 40 minutes? Possibly, but it is best to have such people explain their predicament to the security officials.
Curiously, the bush around the university witnessed a lot of unnecessary intrusion. If I were the bush I would have seriously complained because of the rather unsettling activities of examination impostors who were running all around, to avoid being caught by either the SSS or the university security mobilised for the Post-UME examinations. It was really a rough time for the would-be examination cheats who had been paid to subvert the selection process for UNIZIK this time around. The examinations were spread out over an entire week, with each day dedicated to a particular group of faculties; each with the use of the biometric scanners, the manning of the security points.
Better still, every evening between 6.30 and 8.00 pm; the results for the day’s Post-UME examinations were posted on the net. No waiting or looking for a university member of staff to help you find out your score. Some who did not shade their names or numbers very well got invalid results. That was part of the elimination! As for the admissions, the university vice-chancellor explained in his inaugural speech that the university community must henceforth forget the idea of “staff quota” in the admission exercise. This is not provided for in the JAMB and Post-UME rules. He wants a tenure wherein admissions under him would be based on merit. Well said, but the examinations are over. Everyone is now waiting for the admissions and may it be the crowning point of a good and painstakingly executed process
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