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JAMB UTME: Fear Of Computer-Based Test Sparks Controversy.

Towards the next Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination holding in
April, stakeholders wants JAMB to create more exam centres. But the
board says 'No'.
Stakeholders have appealed to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation
Board to revisit its examination plans for the forthcoming Unified
Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
They made the appeal on Monday, saying there was the need for the
board to open more examination centres for candidates seeking to write
its paper test.
While this year's Paper Pencil Test and Dual-Based Test will hold on
April 5, the agency has yet to fix a date for the Computer-Based Test.
A lawyer and an educationist, Mr. Yomi Giwa, who frowned on the dearth
of PPT centres in the ongoing registration exercise, said JAMB, by the
action, had disenfranchised many candidates seeking to write the
paper-based test.
The development, he said, was worrisome, adding that the plan of the
examination body was to compel the candidates to write the CBT.
Giwa, who stressed the need for freedom of choice, said the imposition
of the CBT on the candidates was "strange."
Besides, he stated that there was no guarantee that it would be hitch-free.
He said, "Has JAMB made provisions for such lapses as power failure
and the sudden collapse of the server? Even if it has, that is no
justification for forcing candidates to take the CBT.
"Look at what happened the other day at the University of Lagos. Its
server went down as potential postgraduate students were writing their
qualifying examinations. What is the assurance that the candidates
will experience a hitch-free examination?"
Another parent, who craved anonymity because he is a civil servant,
faulted the alleged imposition of the CBT on candidates.
He said, "The exam body is unfair to the candidates. The choice is for
the candidates to make. If one prefers the PPT, one should be allowed
to use the process, but if another wants the CBT, so be it.
"Again, the computers can develop a fault on the examination day. Is
it not the candidates that will be at the receiving end?
"As far as I am concerned, we are not mature enough for that. In
e-banking in the country, there are many occasions where customers
were debited without getting any money. So, what is the assurance that
the computers will not crash on the examination day and so frustrate
the candidates?"
Also, a teacher in a Lagos private school, Mr. Babatunde Nurudeen,
while criticising the CBT initiative, said many students were not
conversant with computers.
The teacher, who urged JAMB to engage in more enlightenment campaign,
said the new platform would frustrate many candidates, especially
those from local schools.
According to him, in such institutions, there are no computers,
Internet and other modern communication facilities.
But an ICT developer, Chuddy Nwandu, said the CBT would help to curb
examination malpractice in the UTME.
He said, "The recurrent examination fraud in the UTME would end with
the CBT. Examination leakage is associated with the paper-based tests
and I strongly believe that the CBT will put a stop to that. In the
computer-based test, one can hardly know what is set prior to the
examination. Again, the release of the results via the process is
almost immediate. So, with all of these facts, the likelihood of
'expo' is very remote."
Meanwhile, JAMB has warned that it would not create additional PPT centres.
The board, in a mail to cybercafé operators, said, "Please advise the
candidates yet to register to select the Computer -Based Testing
centres for their exams, instead of waiting for the opening of more
centres in the already-filled-up examination towns/areas.
"Please, note that no additional centres will be opened in towns
already filled up. The CBT has been so simplified that persons with no
prior computer knowledge can take the test on their own."
Also, the board's Head of Public Relations, Mr. Fabian Benjamin, told
our correspondent on Monday, that it did not shut out anybody from
writing either the PPT or the CBT.
He said, "The board has devised the CBT in line with modern
technological trend. It is an answer to examination malpractice. With
the CBT, there will be no smuggling of materials by the candidates
into the examination halls.
"The board has so simplified the platform that an average user of the
GSM can easily do the CBT. The wind of the CBT is blowing everywhere
and the country cannot be an exception. Even for students kicking
against the initiative, have they forgotten that many of the Nigerian
universities are now using it for the post-UTME? So, even if they
avoid it at this level, there is the likelihood that they will do the
test before securing admission to the university."
Benjamin, who urged Nigerians to support the board to move to loftier
heights, said other international examination bodies across the world
were using the CBT.

What your View on this??
JAMB UTME: Fear Of Computer-Based Test Sparks Controversy. JAMB UTME: Fear Of Computer-Based Test Sparks Controversy. Reviewed by Funaab Guide on 2/03/2014 05:45:00 pm Rating: 5

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

When will funaab part/time form be out this year

Funaab Guide said...

No info on it yet

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