Goodluck Jonathan approves Jamb's CBT exams

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has endorsed
the Computer Based Test (CBT) introduced by
the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board
(JAMB) in the conduct of her Unified Tertiary
Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Jonathan who was said to have thumbed up
the progress made so far by the Board in
administering her test through Computer
Based Test (CBT) and the consolidation
efforts of the new examination regime was
optimistic that the introduction would
revolutionize the education sector.
Public Relations Officer of JAMB, Mr. Fabian
Benjamin in a statement in Abuja on
Wednesday night said that the President who
dropped this hint at The Netherlands (Holland)
when he met with the officials of thecountry’s
examination body otherwise called CITO and
JAMB, pointed out that his administration
places much premium on qualitative
education, expansion of access and making
the sector a model among comity of great
nations.
He promised to ensure that the Board has
enough centres to conduct the Computer
Based Test.
He stressed the need for closer collaboration
with the CITO whom he said has garnered over
ten (10) years experience in the conduct of e-
testing and other forms of electronic
innovations in the administration of public
examinations.
The Registrar of JAMB, Professor ‘Dibu
Ojerinde while briefing the President at the
gathering noted that the collaboration has put
the Board in a better pedestrian to administer
the test saying that though the experience has
not been without challenges but the Board
was poised to confront the challenges
frontally and convert the seemingly challenges
to opportunities. He explained to the President
that last year the Board had about Fifty-Five
(55) centres with only about a hundred
thounsand candidates for the Computer Based
Test. However, with the success of the test
last year more of the UTME candidates have
indicated interest in the CBT. He said the
exercise this year will be taking place in about
One Hundred and Fifty-Three (153) Centres
with over Six Hundred Thousand candidates
across the nation.
Professor Ojerinde pointed out that the wind
of change is on and Nigeria being a leading
country in Africa cannot be left out, even as he
said that other African countries like Tanzania
has partnered with JAMB on Item Response
Theory (IRT) training and to study the JAMB
experience for their country adoption and trials
for Computer Based Test (CBT).
The Computer Based Test (CBT) was
introduced by JAMB in its determination to
sanitize the sector and curb hydra-dreaded
monsters such as examination malpractice,
result black-out or incomplete results and
other unethical behaviours capable of
undermining the Paper Pencil Test hitherto
conducted by the Board.
The paperless test also enhances prompt
release of raw score, greater standardization of
test administration, is reliable, flexible, simple
to administer and eliminates high cost of
logistics and hectic planning for the
examination