In comparison with 2009’s registration for the University Matriculation Examination (UME), relatively fewer candidates have registered for the first Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) scheduled to hold this Saturday.

In a press conference held in Abuja yesterday, Dibu Ojerinde, Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) the examination body that organizes the UTME, said a total of 1,375,642 candidates registered for the examination. This is lower than last year’s figure.

“In the last Universal Matriculation Examination (UME) conducted in 2009, a total of 1,182,381 candidates registered for the examination, while 342,957 registered for the Monotechnics, Polytechnics and Colleges Education Matriculation Examination (MPCEME), bringing the total number of candidates to, 1,525,338,” said Mr. Ojerinde. “The figure for the UTME shows a decrease of 149,696 candidates when compared to last year’s figure of 1,523,338.”

Mr. Ojerinde said 152 visually impaired candidates have registered for the examination, while 85 prison inmates from Kaduna and 36 inmates from Ikoyi, Lagos also registered.

He said that the examination will take place in 321 towns in Nigeria and 6 foreign centres: Accra, Ghana; Buea, Cameroon; Cotonou, Benin; Johannesburg, South Africa; Jedda, Saudi Arabia; and London, the United Kingdom.

A new kind of exam

The registrar explained that the UTME is unique because two examinations are combined into one and, at the end, candidates can make their choices for admission into six different institutions; two universities, two polytechnic and two colleges of education. This, he said, will help in breaking the dichotomy between university and polytechnic education.

In the past, one of the major problems in the conduct of the board’s matriculation examination has been the activities of a few of supervisors and invigilators who encouraged malpractice in examinations, Mr. Ojerinde said.

“The board is determined to ensure a credible and successful UTME by ensuring that all officials engaged in the conduct of the board’s examination are held culpable for any lapses during the examination and the full weight of the law is equally brought to bear on any indicted official,” he said.

He warned those who want to cheat that the names of any schools, supervisors, invigilators and JAMB staff found culpable of any unethical behaviour in the examination will be blacklisted and will be subjected to other forms of administrative disciplinary actions.

“The board blacklisted Omoku in Rivers State and Afroc International Secondary School Akwu-Achi,[and] Oji Local Government Area of Enugu State due to widespread cheating and those towns are not being used for this examination,” he said. However, examination towns in Okene, Kogi State, Nsukka, Enugu State, and Ife, Oyo State, that were de-listed for exam malpractice have been included this year following the cooperation of traditional rulers, heads of institution and the communities.

Stricter measures

Mr. Ojerinde also said that stricter security measures have been adopted to nip malpractice in the bud.

“More than 16,000 officers and men of the Nigeria Civil Security and Civil Defence Corps will be deployed to monitor the examination nationwide,” he said. “The board will equally engage the services of about 531 independent watch groups to monitor the examination.”

The groups will comprise school vice chancellors, rectors and provosts, officials of federal and state ministries of education; members of the governing board of JAMB, immediate past directors of the board and stakeholders in education and other observers.

The JAMB boss called for collaboration of all communities to ensure a hitch-free examination. He also appealed to the candidates to conduct themselves properly, while discouraging any political activities on that day which may hamper the smooth conduct of the examination.

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