The JAMB error that led to massive failure in UTME

Mr Shodunke Oludotun has alleged that the reason a lot of candidates failed the 2016 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) was because the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) used the wrong software to mark the exam. 

The nation reports that Oludotun who is the president of Association of Tutorial School Operators said on Wednesday, March 23 that the examination body used the software for 2015 exam to grade the students in 2016 and called for the resignation of Professor Dibu Ojerinde, the registrar of JAMB. 

“We have our evidence to show that virtually all the candidates we have collected results of 2015/2016 and not of 2016/2017.

“This year, Prof Dibu Ojerinde advertised 2016/2017 UTME – we all saw it.  During his press conference, he also mentioned 2016/2017.  During the exam, the students on their monitor, it displayed 2016/2017. 

Why is it that the result that was sent to the students showed 2015/2016? “From our findings from insiders in JAMB, we realized that the software of 2015/2016 interfered with the 2016/2017, which led to the massive failure of the students.  If you can see the trend of results from (February) 27 to 29, the students failed; (March) 7-15, the students failed massively. 

“But we noticed that the 27-29 were compensated with 40 marks still under the interference of software.  We can see that the 2015/2016 software was used to mark, that was why the students were receiving 2015/2016 results.  So where is 2016/2017 result?  That is what we are asking Prof Dibu Ojerinde…We are saying that Prof Dibu Ojerinde should step aside.”

He said they were not against the use of the Computer Based Test (CBT) but said it was full of irregularities which led to the mass failure of candidates. 

“This Association of Tutorial School Operators, we are not against CBT.  CBT has really helped to bring more students to tutorial centres.  It makes them to be serious; and we have taught them.  But for CBT, the whole JAMB exam would have been messed up.  Because before CBT, it will only take you N2,000 for Cyber café to send the answers to you.  So I want to say that we appreciate the professor for introducing the CBT; and we are in support of CBT.”