200 candidates, 50 CBT operators on trial for examination malpractices – JAMB boss

• parents, professional examination takers aid and abet cheating

 

No fewer than 200 candidates of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, (JAMB) and over 50 Computer Based Test, (CBT) operators are currently being prosecuted for various examination malpractices in the country.

JAMB Registrar and Chief Executive,  Professor Ishaq Oloyede who disclosed this on Thursday noted that activities of unscrupulous candidates and fraudsters were major challenges facing the examination body.

Speaking on AM120, a live breakfast programme on the television channel of the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State,  (BCOS TV), monitored by Mega Icon Magazine, Professor Oloyede however maintained that JAMB has put several controlled measures in place to curb or minimize the activities of those who always wants to cut corners or use technology to cheat in examinations.

According to the JAMB boss, “We have deployed trusted persons.The supervision became intense.Resident supervisors are now put in charge of clusters of 250 candidates.We also deploy detective services in such a manner that the possibility of escaping detection becomes impossible”.

Oloyede stressed that JAMB has succeeded in minimizing the ignoble role played by several unregulated tutorial centers which he calls middle men and professional examination takers which aid and abet examination malpractices, adding that “we have attained a stage where anyone who intends to cheat will think twice as it now becomes almost impossible to go away with the act.”

Oloyede, while decrying the involvement of parents in examination malpractices said “I can deal with the pranks of candidates or students. I can deal with the antics of those fraudsters. But what I find difficult is the involvement of parents. It is very sad that some parents who have faked their past still want to fake the future of their children, thereby creating platform to damage the character and integrity of such children.”

JAMB Registrar said that through the policy of openness and accountability which he initiated at the onset,the board has continued to remit substantial amount of money to the covers of the federal government since he assumed office in August 2017.

It will be recalled that last Monday 4th May,2020,JAMB announced a remittance of 7billion Naira to the federal government, saying the amount is part of excess funds generated in 2020 particularly from the March and April 2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations,UTME.

Oloyede explained further that from outset,the present leadership of the board decided to return whatever was left unutilized from its operational costs.

“We are not revenue generating body. We are not revenue wasting agency. When we came in we drew the line,to put everything we do on the table.Through this,it is easy to monitor all our revenues.You know that once you cross the red line,you will account for it.

“The problem with leadership in Nigeria is that there is too much discretion and one of the major causes of deep-rooted corruption is that there is too much latitude.Authorities at various levels have stop much powers.

“What we did was that we limited discretion in JAMB.There is a procedure and once you don’t follow the procedure your asked to account for your inaction”, he said .

When asked about the reason behind his success story as JAMB Registrar and Chief Executive,he attributed this to God, his parents and his teachers at all levels as well as the foundation laid by his predecessors.