A group, the Association of Tutorial School Operators, has threatened to shut down economic activities in Lagos on Monday, June 5, unless the leadership of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board office (JAMB) decentralises its operations to allow candidates who want to change their institutions do so at other venues.
The group, issued the threat on Thursday, June 1, in reaction to challenges faced by candidates who wanted a change of institutions effected on their forms at the JAMB office in Lagos, The Punch reports. The national president of the association, Mr. Dotun Sodunke, claimed that only a few computers were working at JAMB Lagos office on Thursday. According to Sodunke, many candidates fainted from exhaustion while waiting to effect a change due to the logjam at the JAMB Lagos office. He said: “We have been waiting for the JAMB registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, to do the right thing since registration for the UTME started. “Candidates paid N2,500 to change their institutions yet they are still subjected to suffering. There were 2,000 candidates to four computers in JAMB office. About 14 candidates fainted and I saw police and men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps beating up candidates. Is that right?
“Results have been released and more than 76,000 results are withheld by JAMB. Some candidates got text messages from JAMB that 100 marks have been deducted from their scores because the CCTV caught them cheating. “Examination malpractice is usually done in collusion with JAMB officials and CBT operators. JAMB is withholding results of thousands of candidates but has yet to arrest any of its officials or CBT centre.” Meanwhile, the head of media and information of JAMB, Dr Fabian Benjamin, has said the exam body has not opened its portal for candidates in the 2017 UTME to effect change of course or correction of data. According to Vanguard, Benjamin told journalists on Thursday, June 1 that many candidates bombarded the Lagos office of the organisation for purposes. He urged the candidates to remain calm, noting that JAMB will contact them when the time is right.