By Gabriella Ogbu
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has taken a strict stance ahead of the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), authorizing the arrest of any parent spotted near Computer-Based Test (CBT) centers during the exam.
Prof. Isaq Oloyede, the Registrar of JAMB, conveyed this directive during a virtual conference with CBT facility operators and owners. The decision aims to curb potential disruptions and breaches of examination integrity by intrusive parents.
Dr. Fabian Benjamin, the spokesman for JAMB, highlighted the rationale behind the decision, citing instances where parents facilitated exam breaches or disrupted examinations in the past.
Parents found violating this directive and intruding upon the exam venue risk having their children barred from taking the exam as well.
Security personnel will collaborate with CBT owners to ensure the smooth conduct of the exam. The board emphasized that candidates must adhere to the minimum age requirement of 17 years to sit for the exam, and any attempt to bypass this rule will result in sanctions.
With the exam scheduled to take place at 700 CBT centers nationwide, JAMB assured candidates of provisions to address any technical challenges that may arise during the examination. In the event of a session encountering technical issues, candidates in subsequent sessions will proceed as scheduled, while affected candidates will be rescheduled accordingly.
Candidates and parents are urged to remain calm in the event of disturbances, as any disruption caused by a candidate or parent may result in their exclusion from the examination. JAMB remains committed to ensuring the integrity and smooth conduct of the UTME.
