With just two (2) days to the end of 2018 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) registration, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Friday, disclosed that about 1.6 million registration forms have been sold.
The Board commenced the sales of registration forms on December 6, 2017, and had said it would close on Tuesday, February 6. However, the Board’s Registrar, Professor Is’haq Oloyede, on February 6, announced the extension of sales to Sunday, February 11. The extension came after the board made a decision albeit with great hesitation to accommodate candidates who failed to register between the two months window period. According to Benjamin, this year’s registration for the examination has proved to be one of the best in recent times. Benjamin stated: “As at the close of work on Thursday, I can comfortably say that we have registered close to 1.6 million candidates for the examination. This year’s registration, too, can be adjudged as one of the best in recent times, as it has been smooth, hitch- and rancour-free.
He however, warned that there will not be any more extensions in future registrations as some mischievous elements usually take advantage of that to undermine the integrity of the exam.
“Having said this though, the Board will like to warn that there may be no more extension of period of registration for candidates in our future examinations. “This is because some mischievous persons may want to seize the opportunity of the lengthy period of registration to carry out infractions that could undermine the integrity of the examination. We are seriously considering reducing the registration period to about one month.
The board’s Head, Media and Information, Dr Fabian Benjamin, made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen in Lagos at the weekend.
He mentioned that this year’s registration for the examination has proven to be one of the best in recent times.
He stressed that the board is seriously considering reducing subsequent registration periods to about one month.
“We no longer want to give fraudsters the opportunity to deploy all kinds of tricks in the process.
“Imagine a situation whereby, in an entire month, less than 10 per cent of prospective applicants have registered until when we started approaching the last lap of the exercise.” Meanwhile, no date has been fixed for the much anticipated UTME mock, with the main examination temporarily scheduled for Friday, March 9 to Saturday, March 17.
