Exam malpractices now impossible in JAMB 2015 exams

The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has blocked all avenues upon which examination malpractices thrive in the UTME examinations following the introduction of innovative biometric platforms and hi tech measures which will come into force in the 2015 examinations.

Speaking at the 11th ICPC Good Governance Forum with the theme; “Good Governance, Accountability and Transformation: The JAMB Experience”, held in Abuja, the board’s Regisrar, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde noted that in the past, everybody in the board - from the secretariat staff to cleaners, computer operators, clerical staff, messengers, schedule officers, typists, proof readers, editors and scanner operators, all contributed to examination malpractice and leakage of question papers.

He however maintained that with the new system, all these officers including himself, the chief executive, have been shut out of the process, leaving a select few officers who are isolated for the period of preparing the questions and writing the exams.

He said: 

“During this period, they do not have access to their phones for 38 days, they do not have access to their families and the outside world but they are well taken care of”

Ojerinde also said that the new measures allows JAMB to conduct examinations throughout West Africa and release the results same day to block any attempt of manipulations.

With it, it is possible to release 98,000 results two hours after the exam ; and 617,000 results in five days, after writing the exam. He said JAMB had 26 scanners; one of which works on 15,000 scripts per day running three shifts.

The 26 machines works on 390,000 scripts altogether in a day, hence, the ability to produce the results within minimum time frame. “Releasing results in very short time reduces the possibility of manipulation”, he said.

He also explained that issues such as faking of admission letters had been checked through the issuance of electronic admission letters and embossment of same with photos of the candidates that had been offered provisional admission.

He said that the board would now send a comprehensive manual to schools to check those who used business centres to superimpose another photo on an admission letter.

He said: 

“The candidates do not have access to this manual. It is sent only to the schools. Admission letters presented by candidates are verified using this manual before the candidate is registered in the school. But some schools do not use this manual for whatever reason; and that is where we will need the help of the ICPC"