The 2022 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) commenced on Friday nationwide, with a total number of 1.7 million candidates registered to sit for the examination nationwide.
The about 11-day examination being conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and held in over 755 Computer Based Test (CBT) Centres, would end on May 16.
It is observed that while the exercise was held smoothly, from biometric verification of candidates to actual test in some CBT centres, the conduct of the examination was married by network and technical hitches in some centres.
At the Global Distance Learning Institute, Abuja, the exercise went smoothly with some of the candidates who sat for the examination expressing satisfaction with the seamless process of screening and examination proper.
This was however not the same at Aduvie International School Jahi, Abuja Centre. At about 10:30 a.m when reporters visited the Centre, candidates who were to sit for the examination at 7. a.m, were yet to commence as it was gathered that the systems were down.
According to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), a total of 1,761,338 candidates that successfully registered for the examination in 755 registered computer-based centres are taking the examination.
Some of the candidates expressed worries, especially against the backdrop of earlier warming by JAMB that candidates would not be rescheduled for the examination if they fail to adhere to their time and date for the examination as indicated in the examination slip.
The spokesperson of JAMB, Dr Fabian Benjamin, while confirming the number of candidates sitting for the 2022 UTME, said the board had put in place all measures to ensure smooth conduct of the examination.
He said all candidates would be checked into the examination hall, using the Biometric Verification Machine (BVM), which is also a register of attendance in line with the Board’s policy.
He further said that the ban on prohibited items was still in force, hence calling on candidates to be careful not to run foul of the law as necessary sanctions would be meted out to violators of JAMB’s code of conduct.
Benjamin identified banned items within the examination hall including but not limited to flash drives, smartwatches, calculators, recorders, mobile phones, spy reading glasses, and jewellery, among others.
The Board equally directed all the officials involved in the conduct of the examination to adhere strictly to the guidelines, stressing that biometric verification would be the only mode for admittance of candidates into the examination centre.
It urged officials to ensure no candidate was kept waiting if he or she could not be verified, but to ensure such candidate was recaptured at the centre before leaving, saying further that only genuine cases would be subsequently treated in cases of biometric hitch.
JAMB also urged its officials to ensure that all report forms provided for the exercise were accurately filled and completed, explaining that the information gathered from the forms was expected to assist the board in “establishing happenings during the examination for reference purposes as well as serve as evidence for punitive measures.”
The board said it would continue to consult with critical stakeholders, including technical officers and Advisors, Resident Monitors, Supervisors and its eight monitoring groups, to deliver a hitch-free exercise.
