By Milcah Tanimu

During the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) reported the arrest of a father who was attempting to write exams on behalf of his son. This incident underscores JAMB’s enhanced technology to detect various forms of examination malpractice.

Speaking in Kaduna, JAMB Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, who conducted inspections at UTME centers, expressed overall satisfaction with the 2024 examination, which saw a participation of 1.94 million students. However, he highlighted instances of impersonation as a concern, noting that some individuals possess multiple National Identity Numbers (NIN), complicating identity verification processes.

Addressing cheating, Oloyede emphasized the consequences, underscoring the effectiveness of technology in detection. He cited a disturbing case where a father was caught impersonating his son, raising questions about the impact on the son’s future. Both individuals involved have been detained.

Regarding infrastructure, Oloyede stressed the need for support from densely populated states like Lagos to establish mega Computer-Based Testing (CBT) centers akin to those in Kaduna, which can accommodate up to 4,000 candidates daily. He expressed optimism that authorities in Lagos would allocate suitable land for the construction of such a facility.