The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has banned the use of electronic devices in its examinations. The ban would be effective from the 2018 United Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
The board stated that it had discovered that some electronic devices like pen, wristwatches and phones were used to perpetrate examination malpractice during 2017 UTME, talk about being smart.
The JAMB Registrar, Prof Ishaq Oloyede disclosed this at a meeting in Yaba College of Technology with operators of the CBT centres, stressing that the board has a zero tolerance for irregularities and corrupt practices. He added that electronic jammers would be installed in all CBT Centers to frustrate the efforts of those planning to cheat.
Also, lens detectors would be made available at all centres, as they would be used to find out the status of all eyeglasses and if a candidate or anyone at all, Minister or the Jamb Registrar himself must go in with the eyeglasses.
He added that new measures are taking to further add to the integrity of the registration process and conduct of the UTME.
We all know that examination malpractice has long graduated from the normal ‘giraffing’ at a neighbour’s work, using key-points, notes and textbooks, copying on papers, desk or laps, to more advanced and sophisticated systems. Some candidates now employ the functionalities of these high technological devices to bring answers into the examination hall, especially for multiple choice questions.
While we applaud the introduction of these appliances, more technological tools need to be put in place as these gadgets may sometimes malfunction, possibly an introduction of a virtual invigilator, metal detectors may not be a bad idea.
