An Assistant Director of
the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB),  Mrs Ebere Okeke,  has said that the  Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) Computer-based Test (CBT) is not technical for candidates.
Okeke told The Tide  source  at the Yaba College of Technology centre in Lagos recently that the CBT process was as simple as using a telephone handset.  She described the CBT mode as the solution to examination malpractices for JAMB.
Okeke said the process had been simplified and devoid of  technicalities for the candidates.
“The CBT is just as simple as the way your handset is operated. It is all about read, press and click and that is all.
“No matter where you are coming from; even if you are coming from the moon or the remote village, you can write the examination,” she said.
Okeke said candidates and parents should not be bothered about the process which would improve ICT skill of  candidates.
“The board has the capacity to go full blown CBT by 2015 and with the support of the public, it will be a success.
“Our message is  that with CBT, all forms of examination malpractices, impersonation, and cheating are removed.
“Once you can operate your handset, receive and make call, then you can write the CBT examination.
“It is not a highly technical process that needs any technicality, it is about pressing and clicking just as you press your handset,” she said.
She urged Nigerians to embrace the process as it was in line with international standards. Another official of JAMB, Mr Adetunmobi Olalekan, advised Nigerians to embrace the CBT.
Olalekan gave the advice at another centre of the examination in Lagos.
He said that CBT was a better examination mode as it was good for checking examination malpractice and promoting excellence among students. Olalekan said that the mode was also flexible and would prevent problem of missing scripts.
He said that the CBT was also less expensive than the Paper Pencil Test (PPT), which he said, attracted  outrageous costs.
“The cost of conducting the CBT exam is cheaper than the PPT as it does not involve printing of questions and answer sheets and paying banks for the custody of the materials.
“There is no need to hire drivers and vans to distribute the materials from one state or centre to another.
“It also reduces manpower for supervision as JAMB usually pays the invigilators used in the centres.
“The CBT eliminates printing and transporting of material because the questions are already uploaded in the system and come up immediately the candidate logs in,” he said.
Olalekan said that the CBT could be easily be rescheduled for any candidate who genuinely missed the examination before the end of the period scheduled.
According to him, facilities at the centres designated for the conduct of the CBT have been improved, while more centres have emerged.
“This shows the board is prepared to conduct only CBT exam in 2015. It may only take more weeks than usual since it would accommodate more candidates, but it would be successful,” he said.
Olalekan urged the federal, state governments and schools to support JAMB in the realisation of its goal in 2015 by providing computers in more centres, while JAMB would provide the application soft ware.
“The minimum computer needed for a centre to conduct CBT is 50. If local and state governments could provide such, it would go a long way to helping the board,” he said.
Some candidates said that the CBT was a better  mode of conducting examination.
They commended JAMB for introducing the mode of examination describing it as very easy and not technical.
A candidate, Samuel Somoyede, said that the mode was about reading and clicking.
“It is not a difficult process as people assume; I like it and I think it is the best for our education system,” Somoyede said.
Another candidate, Joy Binitie, said the process was faster than other mode of examination.
“I was afraid when I sat in front of the computer because I do not have the experience.
“Now, that I have experienced it, is it easy and straight forward,  all I do is read the question, click my answer and go to the next page,” she said.
A candidate, Daniel Badru, also noted that the CBT examination was more friendly and flexible.
“If internet facilities are provided in the rural areas and people there can have access to computers, then it is recommendable that JAMB scraps the PPT and adopt only the CBT,” he said.
Investigation have revealed that the ongoing CBT of the UTME was hitch- free at the FCE(T), Akoka in Lagos, as there were no problems with biometric verification .
The centre relied solely on a standby generator to avoid power failure and computers functioned properly with backups.
Olalekan, the supervisor of the centre, had said that the centre accommodated 403 candidates for the examination.
While 203 candidates sat for the morning session, 200 candidates sat for the afternoon session.
The morning session started by 8.00 am and ended by 11.30am, while the afternoon session started by 12.30 pm and ended by 4.00pm.
Our source  also reports that the CBT examination for the UTME which began on May 17, would run till May 31.