UTME: Malpractice, impersonation have reduced, says Oloyede

Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede has stated that the level of malpractice and impersonation in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) has reduced drastically following measures put in place by the board.

Oloyede said he was impressed that malpractice and impersonation had reduced nationwide and were now below the international standard in terms of percentage.

“The level of malpractice and impersonation has reduced drastically. I am impressed that throughout the country, they have become very minimal. In fact, it is now below the international standard in terms of the percentage. We have better devices to determine what is happening in centres and the system won’t allow it,” he said.

Addressing journalists in Lagos at the weekend when monitoring the examination across centres, he commended the conduct of the UTME nationwide. He also hailed Lagos centres for performing well.

The JAMB Registrar monitored the examination in the West African Examination Council Testing and Training Centre in Ogba, Lagos; JKK Ilupeju, and the University of Lagos, among others.

He said challenges in states like Kwara, Borno, and Niger on the first day were addressed with the creation of a fourth session for candidates to write the examination.

Oloyede noted that JAMB was committed to the cause of visually-impaired candidates and those with other forms of disability.

“I am happy that the committee handling the JAMB Equal Opportunity Group (JEOG) under the leadership of Prof. Peter Okebukola is doing a good job. We are giving a sense of belonging to those incapacitated by one disability or the other. They are happy the nation cares about them,” he said.

He also said though accredited CBT centres have improved as the level of complaints about them have reduced, there was room for improvement because of the human factor.

The JAMB Registrar hailed the National Identity Management Commission, the telecoms, and other stakeholders for their support.