The 2024 mock Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) delisted 25 computer-based test (CBT) centers, including one at the University of Ilorin.
The 2024 UTME, for candidates seeking admission to Nigeria’s postsecondary institutions, will begin on April 19 and end on April 29.
The exam is normally administered at pre-vetted and accredited CBT centers located at academic institutions across the country.
JAMB had nominated 907 CBT sites for accreditation and certified 747 for the 2024 UTME following revalidation and integrity checks.
The board held a mock UTME on March 7 with 260,000 candidates to assess their readiness for the main exam.
However, JAMB’s weekly bulletin just announced that 25 centers had been delisted.
The centers are located in Delta, Ondo, Lagos, Imo, Plateau, Enugu, Anambra, Ogun, Osun, Benue, Edo, Ekiti, Gombe, Kaduna, Kwara, Zamfara, and Abuja.
Notably, the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) Center 2 in Kwara state was delisted.
CBT centers before of a UTME run may be delisted for a variety of reasons.
The Cable contacted Fabian Benjamin, JAMB’s head of public affairs, to find out why these facilities were delisted after accreditation.
The representative did not return multiple calls and text messages requesting information on the incident.
Kunle Akogun, UNILORIN’s media spokesperson, informed HowNG that the institution is in discussions with the board over the matter.
“There is no reason for concern. We are on top of the matter. Our three centres were included in the most recent list of approved centres available to us. “We have a meeting with JAMB this morning to discuss the issue,” he remarked on Wednesday.
In January, JAMB held a stakeholders conference to establish the standards that CBT centres must achieve in order to participate in the 2024 UTME.
It said that the centers must have a CCTV surveillance system, none of which can be wireless.
The board mandated that CCTV cameras cover all parts of the exam center, including the verification area, holding room, walkways, exam hall, server room, entrance, and exit doors.
JAMB stated that all switches in test halls must be connected to a UPS, and a quarter of the total number of switches used at a center must be accessible as backup.
These would be tested during accreditation, simulated, and dummy exams.
According to JAMB, holding rooms must be close to the exam hall and of suitable size.
It stated that makeshift CBT centers are not permitted, and that all centers must be dedicated CBT centers that are used and maintained accordingly.
According to JAMB, each center must have at least 250 working laptop systems, each with its own cubicle and a sufficient seat.
As of the time of publication, it is unclear what key criterion the delisted facilities violated.
