How I will save Nigeria of at least N5billion in 2017 UTME – JAMB Registrar, Oloyede

The Joint Admission and Matriculations Board (JAMB) has said arrangements have been concluded for interested candidates to write the mock examination of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) this Saturday, April 29.

The Registrar of JAMB, Is-haq Oloyede, made this known Wednesday in Abuja during a training session organized to equip over 1600 JAMB staff as well as external resource persons drawn across the 36 states of the country.

Mr. Oloyede, a professor, said internal and external personnel would monitor the 633 Computer Based Tests centres across the country for the UTME exams.

Mr. Oloyede said under his watch, JAMB would deploy cost-effective measures to deliver on its statutory mandate.

He said the CBT adopted in the forthcoming UTME would save the examination body about N5 billion.

“Instead of spending billions on our examinations, we can spend millions and achieve better results. That is all I have been struggling to do, to make sure that instead of collecting N7 billion and spending N6.8 billion in the conduct of examination, we should be able to save at least N5 billion,” he stressed.

While noting that there are skepticism on the part of some Nigerians about the workings of new innovations, the Registrar said he was optimistic of taking JAMB to the next level, regardless of challenges.

“Yes, some people argue that in Nigeria, there are many variables that you cannot determine. I have strong faith in this country and I believe that whatever works in normal places will work in Nigeria,” he added.

On the 2017 UTME slated to begin on May 13, Mr. Oloyede said his team is prepared to conduct a hitch-free examination across all centres of the country.

“I and my colleagues in JAMB management have tried our best and have prepared as much as we can. We also believe in our partners, MTN and Airtel which are our two service providers in the conduct of this examination and I want to appeal to them to see this as a national assignment.”

He added that the CBT, which was adopted a few years ago was actually his initiative while he was Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin.

“CBT started at the University of Ilorin in 2007 and by the grace of God, I was the Vice Chancellor who started it.”

Meanwhile, the mock test earlier shelved by JAMB is set to hold this Saturday 29th April, 2017 and Mr. Oloyede promised the challenges which scuttled the initial exercise would be taken care of this time.