The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has declared that no fewer than 1.7 million candidates registered for the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) at the close of the site by 12 midnight on Friday May 5 2017.
According to statement signed by the Head of Media and Publicity Dr Fabian Benjamin made available to newsmen after its emergency meeting in Jos, Plateau State, the Board urged Nigerians to have trust in its processes as they are meant to enhance productivity, eliminate examination malpractice and promote transparency to an unprecedented level.
“We registered a number that has never been done in the entire 39 years of the existence of JAMB within a time frame Nigerians were sceptical about. The highest we have ever had was 1.5 million, this is record breaking. We will look at the system so far and make adjustments where necessary to ensure a full proof process of registration and examination.
“We are always sure of our systems and will continue to expand our frontiers of thinking to transform the Board to an agency that Nigerians will be proud of” said the Board.
The Board assured that it will continue to be very open in all its activities and ensure inclusiveness even in the areas of its finances adding that disclosure of the actual number of candidates registered is a clear invitation for the public to know what the Board has realised from the sale for this year.
“Examination is all about transparency and an agency that conducts such a competitive examination must be above board in all its life cycle. As we conduct the 2017 examination beginning from Saturday May 13, we call on all Nigerians to give us the needed support. We will do our very best and where they notice challenges, we will work without hesitation to ensure that it is corrected immediately for candidates to have a smooth examination.
“Nations are grown through innovation and there is no innovation if there is no trial. Please don’t be quick to condemn, rather look at the end result and see how all of us can contribute to the Nigerian education of our dream. We have resolved to bell the cat in order for other public examination agencies to thrive”
It further pointed out that the Board will not be distracted by some highly placed Nigerians who, for selfish personal interest of what they were making but which they are no longer making through corrupt practices and others for sheer envy and personal grudges against actors in JAMB, resolved to do everything to paint all our processes even at infancy level in bad light.
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