To further consolidate the achievements, the University has deployed Biometrics Devices (Smart Card Readers) for the conduct of the on-going 2014/2015 Omega (Second) Semester examination.

Commenting on the reasons for the use of the devices, the Director, Centre for Systems and Information Services, Pastor Abolade Afolabi, explained that the introduction of the smart card readers was to solve the challenge of students having to go through the rigor of printing out their Course Evaluation Forms in order to sit for the examination. Another reason, according to him, was to forestall any form of examination malpractice.

Prior to the introduction of the card reader for the examination, students were expected to complete their course registration and clearance on the portal and print out the evaluation form. The forms were presented to invigilators at the examination venue before they were eligible to write the exam.

However, with the introduction of the card readers, the various challenges associated with registration and printings of evaluation forms have been eliminated. After the students have done the evaluation on the portal, they will then present their identity cards to the invigilators at the venue of the examination. The invigilator will then place the card on the reader, which will indicate whether the student is eligible to write the exam or not.

Pastor Afolabi further explained the functionality of the smart card readers. “The card readers use a highly secured cryptographic technology that is commonly used for devices that perform secure transactions, such as payment terminals. The devices contain Green List, that is, names of students who have been evaluated for a particular course and are eligible to take the examination.”

While speaking on the same vein, the Director, Academic Planning Unit, Dr. Akan Williams, noted that with the introduction of the card readers, examination malpractice has been curtailed to a large extent because it leaves no room for any student to smuggle any unacceptable material into the examination hall. Though the use of the device was not without some initial challenges, Dr. Williams stated that they had recorded up to 90 percent success.

He commended the University Management for their efforts toward ensuring that everything goes on smoothly. He also commended the Invigilators and students for proper monitoring and conducts respectively in the examination halls.

The generality of the staff and students have commended the introduction of the card readers, noting that it was another step in the actualization of the vision of Covenant University to become one of the 10 leading universities in the world by 2022.