The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board has explained the reason behind the rescheduling of the printing of the 2019/20 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination slips.
JAMB’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Abuja.
The printing of the examination slips was initially scheduled to begin on April 2, but has been rescheduled to begin on April 4.
Benjamin said the shift in date came after 14 Computer Based Tests centres were on Monday suspended due to infractions during the board’s conduct of Mock Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, including an incident where JAMB staff were attacked at one of its centres.
He said: “The suspension has caused some distortion in the initial arrangement and the board will have to relocate candidates who were scheduled to write in the affected centres to other suitable centres.
“We all know that one of the essence of the mock exercise was to check the level of preparedness of not only candidates but also centres that keep to the rules and regulations of the board.
“It is to check on centres that are desperate to cheat and to make sure that they do not achieve their aim.
“Immediately after the exercise yesterday, we went into a meeting and examined the conduct of the exercise, identified the structural problems and made adjustments immediately.
“We want to ensure no centre fails during the conduct of the exercise.
“So we need today and tomorrow to redistribute the candidates affected by these suspended centres who had planned to extort them, defraud and frustrate the system, to centres that are more suitable, then printing can begin Thursday.”
Benjamin added that the board was putting all hands on deck to ensure that candidates sat for the examination in centres where they were safe, suitable and conducive for the exercise that would be globally accepted.
He apologised to all candidates of the examination for the inconvenience caused, adding that the board’s intention remained to give its best, and ensure a hitch-free and successful exercise.
Prof. Ishaq Oloyede on Monday said the board had de-listed 14 CBT centres out of the 712 accredited due to infractions like technical hitch and deceit.
He also said that two staff of the board were attacked at Lagos State Polytechnic centre and were almost murdered but were rescued.
Oloyede said the 698 centres left in the operations were ready for the conduct of the UTME scheduled to hold between April 11 and 15.
