JAMB has tightened its system against exam malpractice by instructing CBT centre owners to detain any parent caught near their premises during the 2024 UTME.
According to Vanguard, the directive, which was given by JAMB Registrar Prof. Isaq Oloyede during a virtual meeting with CBT centre operators, is to curb parental interference during the exams, as disclosed by JAMB spokesman Dr. Fabian Benjamin.
“Parents found violating this directive will not only face arrest but will also lead to the disqualification of their wards from the exam,” Benjamin said, underscoring the severity of the measure.
The move comes in response to longstanding concerns about parental involvement in exam malpractice, with some parents acting as facilitators for cheating and disrupting past examinations.
Security agencies are poised to collaborate with CBT owners to ensure the smooth conduct of the exercise, heightening vigilance against potential infractions.
The board further clarified that candidates must meet the minimum age requirement of 17 years to sit for the examination independently, rebuking parents who attempt to circumvent this rule.
“Going by the extant national policy on education, a candidate for the examination must have attained the age of 17 years. Therefore, it is evident that these parents have not allowed their wards to pass through the classes as defined in the document; hence, the determination to follow their wards to the examination venue with the aim of compromising examination officials.
“At any rate, it is clear to any discerning observer that these parents deserve to be sanctioned, as they have obviously ‘smuggled’ underage children into the ranks of those scheduled to sit for the examination.”
With the UTME set to take place across 700 CBT centres nationwide, JAMB assured candidates of a seamless process while reiterating its readiness to address any technical hiccups promptly.
“If a session experienced any technical challenge, candidates in subsequent sessions would be allowed to sit their examination as scheduled, while the candidates in the challenged session would be rescheduled for the last session of the day, the following day, or even further depending on the centre schedules.
“Candidates are to take note of this so that they will remain calm in the event of any disruption. In this way, any candidate or parent who disrupts any subsequent session on account of the failure of his/her session would be disqualified outright from taking the examination.”
