By Emmanuel Edukugho

Results of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), for admission into universities, polytechnics and colleges of education held on Saturday, June 18, 2011, were released within four working days (Thursday, June 23). Thanks to the digital revolution going on in JAMB initiated by its Registrar, Professor Dibu Ojerinde.

According to him, in the past, JAMB’s results were released after almost three months of the conduct of the examination. For now, the situation has changed as results are released within four working days.

Ojerinde hoped that “very soon results will be released within an hour.”

Before the unification of entrance examinations into tertiary institutions, in 2007 University Matriculation Examination, UME, results took 21 days to be released, Monotechnic, Polytechnic, Colleges of Education Matriculation Examination (MPCEME) took 11 days. In 2008 UME 11 days; MPCEME 7 days. In 2009 UME 7 days; MPCEME 4 days.

In 2010 when UTME was introduced, results were released within four working days. In 2011, the pattern remained same as UTME results took four working days to be released.

Application of related technology in JAMB services and operations which involved the computerisation of examination processes include:

*Online registration of candidates.

*Online checking of results.

*Online changed of courses and institutions.

*Online printing of result slips.

*Online printing of admission letters.

*Embossment of candidates’ photographs on e-slips, admission letters, etc.

*JAMB website for enquiries, etc.

The latest in the application of technology in JAMB operations is the introduction of Biometrics in registration of about 1.5 million candidates who sat for the 2011 UTME.

The Biometric Data Capturing System was meant to check impersonation, lateness, absenteeism, incidence of special centres and other malpractices which characterised the examination in the past.

Ojerinde had explained that “the system identifies you with your finger prints, records the time you check in and even directs you if you miss your centre.” There were challenges identified by the JAMB Registrar who monitored the UTME exercises in FCT including long lines of candidates at centres waiting to enter examination halls and missing names that caused delays.

He pledged to address the challenges posed by the Biometric system of registration and JAMB would take steps to rectify them in future.

In the 2011 UTME results, Ojerinde said a total of 15,160 (1.014%) of the candidates who participated were involved in examination malpractice.

A remarkable reduction in the number of “invalid and incomplete results” compared with that of 2010 – from 82,000 cases to 28,069 in 2011. It was disclosed that the results of 7,504 candidates from some centres which are suspicious are being investigated and must therefore undergo further screening because of what was termed as “unusual performances recorded by candidates from these centres.”

About 2,892 candidates scored 300 marks and above, 842, 851 scored below 200, 495, 426 scored between 200 and 249 marks, 67,732 hade between 250-269 while 31,444 candidates scored between 270–299, said Ojerinde.

Also, 833,082 males sat for the 2011 UTME, representing 55.78% of the total candidates, while 660,522 (44.22%) were females.

About 1,493,604 candidates participated, seeking admission into 500,9000 available spaces in the tertiary institutions – universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.

It will be recalled that Ojerinde conceptualised the UTME to amalgamate admission process of tertiary institutions – spreading out the choices in which candidates can choose from six institutions – two universities, two polytechnics and two colleges of education.

Ojerinde had said: “We have brought them together and we are saying that they can go into any institution. If university doesn’t work, college of education may work, if not polytechnics may work. But I am not saying that it is to be for everybody because the spaces are still not sufficient.” But the problem is that everybody wants to go to the university.