National Telescope national telescope newspaper
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced plans to fully automate its services in a move aimed at preventing extortion and enhancing service delivery, especially for underage candidates.
This was disclosed by the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, in a bulletin on the board’s website on Monday.
Prof. Oloyede emphasized that many candidates who sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) are underage, making it necessary to limit physical contact during interactions.
“We are considering reducing physical contact with candidates, particularly those facing challenges, to prevent allegations of extortion or exploitation,” Oloyede said.
“In the future, interactions will be mostly online, with all calls recorded for effective monitoring and quality control.”
The decision to automate JAMB’s services comes after the board received numerous reports of extortion and unwholesome practices, particularly involving some Computer-Based Test (CBT) centers.
A team has been deployed to investigate these claims, with the findings to be made public once the investigation is complete.
“We encourage students who have accused JAMB officials or operatives at CBT centres of extortion in the name of ‘regularization’ or other services to come forward with credible evidence,” the registrar stated, adding that any staff found guilty will face severe consequences.
While acknowledging the concerns raised, Prof. Oloyede commended the integrity of the vast majority of JAMB staff.
“In terms of honesty, I can vouch for over 99 percent of JAMB staff. However, any bad eggs will be identified and dealt with appropriately,” he assured.
This automation initiative is expected to improve service delivery and protect candidates from any form of exploitation, further strengthening the credibility of the examination process.
