The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has offered financial reward to anyone who provides authentic proof of Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidates posted outside their chosen examination town.
In a statement issued on Saturday, JAMB Spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin he believes some parents were being deceived, misled and duped by their own wards.
He wrote, “Let it be unequivocally clear: at the time of registration, candidates have the right to select their preferred examination town. JAMB subsequently assigns them to a centre within that chosen town. The baseless assertion that candidates are placed in towns different from their selections is erroneous, malicious and aimed solely at tarnishing the Board’s reputation. It never happens”.
He added that, JAMB acknowledges the importance of convenience for candidates, ensuring they sit for their examinations in locations of their choice among available Computer Based Test (CBT) centres.
Furthermore, every candidate has the prerogative to choose their examination town, while JAMB only assigns the candidate within the chosen town.
“The Board therefore challenges this false but popular narrative by offering a handsome financial reward to any one person who can provide authentic proof of just one candidate who is posted outside the chosen town of the candidate.
“For transparency and not ‘being a judge in one’s case’. Such proof should within the next 96 hours be sent to the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) WhatsApp Number; 08056003030 so that the umpire can ensure the reward is delivered or the Board is once and for all exonerated from the recurring campaign of calumny.
“Similarly, anyone who finds no fault in airlines requesting air-travellers to arrive at the airport 2 hours before the departure time should find no fault in encouraging candidates to arrive at the CBT centres, 90 minutes before commencement of examination for preliminary verification.
“Many parents who expect candidates to spend not more than 2 hours for the 2 hours examination are apparently oblivious of the required preliminary processes.
“The public is encouraged to grant public agencies the benefit of the doubt and trust that they exist to serve public interest in the best possible manner. JAMB as a government agency is committed to public good at all times. A trial will convince any.”
