The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has sought the assistance of the Nigeria Army to help secure its computer based tests (CBT) centres ahead of the unified tertiary matriculation examination (UTME).
JAMB Registrar/Chief Executive, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, disclosed this at a meeting with the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Tukur Buratai in Abuja.
The agency’s spokesperson, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, said the registrar solicited for the intervention and cooperation of the Nigerian Army in the coming examination.
While commending the Nigerian Army for uniting the country particularly the feat it recorded in the insurgency war and restoring peace in other turbulent areas, Oloyede outlined his mission to Defence Headquarters.
“We are here to thank you for the wonderful job you have been doing, all Nigerians are happy with you for the wonderful feat you have recorded in the discharge of your duties, and your quest for an indivisible and united country,” he said.
He said there was need to secure the venues of the UTME in order for JAMB to conduct a hitch free exams for candidates desirous of qualitative education to all tertiary institutions in the country.
“This need became imperative to seek for security intervention from the Army, particularly in turbulent areas”, he said.
The Registrar said over 678 centres across the country as against the 650 CBT centres recorded last year would be put to use with an estimated 1.5million candidates for the examination, adding that 1.237million candidates had already submitted their application already.
Oloyede also told the Buratai that the agency was collaboration with Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG) to airlift candidates in riverine areas to their CBT centres.
He urged the COAS to intervene as the NLNG intervention was not enough.
The JAMB Registrar while listing some security prone areas like North East, South South among others, noted that the process of seeking admission through the conduct of examination should not be truncated, adding that the sight of security presence during the examination would give the candidates a high level of satisfaction and confidence.
Prof. Oloyede told the COAS that this year the board was capturing ten fingers of candidates to forestall any incidence of multiple registration as noticed with previous years registration.
He said the Board also insisted on profile creation and other processes to strengthen the education data and ensure that candidates do not go through hell years after graduating from tertiary institutions.
In his remarks, Buratai, described the visit as unique and symbolic, stating that the military would ensure that there is peace and harmony in the country.
The COAS said as part of its constitutional responsibility, the Army would continue to uphold and make sure that the task given to them is accomplished.
He said some of the flash points pointed out by the Registrar are not only safe but habitable, adding that normalcy had returned to the north east.
He promised to deploy troops to the areas mentioned by Prof. Oloyede for surveillance and protection during the period stated for the examination.
He directed the Chief of Training and Operations to liaise with officers and men on ground to strengthen the security of the centres and officials particularly those in turbulent states.
Buratai pointed out that JAMB examination was a national assignment and as such the military high command would not allow any candidate’s dream and desire for tertiary education to be truncated because of insecurity.
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