COEASU reacts to JAMB’s backend glitch issue, calls for due diligence

The Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) has reacted to the backend glitch issue made by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), calling for due diligence. 

In a statement signed by COEASU’s National President, Dr. Smart Olugbeko, the union stated that the recent technological glitches during the JAMB examinations had caused “significant emotional trauma to the students and their parents,” even as it acknowledged that JAMB had made “significant strides in recent years, leveraging technology to enhance the examination process.”

However, the union cautioned against blind faith in technology, stressing the need for careful deployment and due diligence.

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Drawing a sharp analogy, the union stated, “For instance, the Nigerian Army’s efforts to combat terrorism have sometimes resulted in unintended harm to civilians, underscoring the importance of caution when utilizing technology.”

The union went on to commend JAMB’s Registrar, Professor Oloyede, for owning up to the board’s lapses. “COEASU commends the Registrar of JAMB, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, for his sincerity and empathy in acknowledging the errors and taking responsibility.

“This is a rare quality among public officers, and we appreciate his commitment to finding solutions,” the statement read.

The union did not hold back in contrasting Oloyede’s approach with what it described as the “denial culture” of other public officials.

It referenced the much-criticized Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), saying it was “widely criticized for its corruption and inefficiencies.”

COEASU decried how, despite “overwhelming evidence,” the architects of IPPIS “refused to acknowledge its shortcomings.”

“The IPPIS debacle highlights the importance of accountability and transparency in public service,” COEASU declared.

“Unlike Professor Oloyede, the proponents of IPPIS have refused to apologize for the harm caused to tertiary institutions or adopt the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) developed by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which has proved to be a more reliable and efficient platform.”

While COEASU noted the government’s recent shift to the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GFMIS) for tertiary institutions as a step in the right direction, it criticized the lingering influence of IPPIS operatives.

“It is disturbing to note that those who benefit from the IPPIS malady have ensured that the GFMIS platform remains tied to the IPPIS system, resulting in continued unwarranted salary delays for tertiary institution staff.”

The statement went further to deliver a scathing critique of Nigeria’s culture of rewarding failure in public service.

“Many public officers who have ruined Nigeria’s economy and contributed to the insecurity plaguing the country today shamelessly collect awards for good governance and even have the audacity to teach others how to govern the country.

“We call on these individuals to take a cue from Professor Oloyede’s example and own up to their errors.”

COEASU concluded by reiterating its support for the JAMB Registrar’s transparent leadership, noting that “his leadership sets a positive example for public servants,” and called for a “holistic review” to ensure that “all candidates affected by the glitch in every part of the country are allowed to participate in the resit examination while deploying adequate measures to prevent recurrence of the error.”

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE