The 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) will be taken by 364 visually challenged applicants at eleven different locations around the country under the supervision of the JAMB Equal Opportunity Group.
According to media sources, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board would offer a special test for visually impaired applicants on April 27 and 29, 2023.
Professor Peter Okebukola, chairman of the JAMB Equal Opportunity Group, made this known while providing the highlight of the 2023 examination on Thursday in Abuja. He commended the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, for the special arrangement for this category of Nigerians, saying the goal of the Oloyede-led JAMB is to ensure that no Nigerian who is eligible is prevented from taking the UTME regardless of disability.
He revealed that since 2017, JEOG has processed approximately 2,600 candidates for the UTME, with over a third admitted to courses of their choice in higher education institutions in Nigeria, primarily universities, and that this JAMB initiative has been cited as a good model for Africa in several countries over the last four years.
The former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission explained that the mode of examination administration is a hybrid of PCs and traditional Braille slates and stylus/typewriters in writing answers to questions read out by a subject expert, emphasising that blind candidates take the same test items as those who are not blind.
Okebukola, who is also the Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Open University of Nigeria, said that JAMB has authorised a phased migration to the full CBT method adapted for blind applicants beginning in 2024.
He said that a trial run would be undertaken later this year to evaluate this method and also provide applicants with alternatives between entirely Braille, fully CBT, and fully read-aloud formats.
“There are exciting times ahead for blind candidates and others with disabilities in the realisation of Professor Is-had Oloyede’s dream for equal opportunity,” he says.
“So far, a good number of blind candidates processed through JEOG have secured admission to federal, state, and private universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education,” Okebukola said.
“In 2019, a total of 175 (44.8%) of the 390 candidates were admitted.” Another of Professor Oloyede’s golden legacies was the admittance of such a diverse group of students into the Nigerian higher education system.
“In 2020, 89 of 351 blind applicants (25%) took the UTME. Out of the 332 students that took the UTME, 110 blind individuals were admitted in 2021. This yearly cohort admittance of 33% of blind students to higher education is unmatched in the African higher education system.
“In the 2022 UTME, five of the blind candidates scored higher than 270.” Ninety-two people scored higher than 200. When compared to non-blind candidates, blind candidates perform equally well, if not better, than visually unimpaired candidates.
“The 2023 exercise is being held in 11 locations across the country.” This is in the aim of putting the test place closer to the applicants, particularly given the country’s security condition.
“The centres are overseen by experienced academics and university administrators.” “There are 364 candidates in total,” he said.
He went on to say that JEOG is already pursuing a strategic strategy to progressively increase the ICT component of UTME administration to meet the development in ICT use for blind education in universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
“The Group is excited about candidates who offer science, technology, engineering, and mathematics subjects because this is an important slant to equal opportunity,” he added.
“Since 2018, a study has been underway to investigate ways of encouraging many blind candidates to study STEM subjects while acknowledging the challenging conditions for the study of science by blind candidates at the secondary and post-secondary levels.”
“Thanks to Professor Ishaq Oloyede’s generosity, JAMB takes full responsibility for hotel accommodation and feeding of candidates in the 11 centres, as well as paying generous transportation supplements while providing them with a conducive environment to write the examination.”
“In addition, each blind candidate receives from JAMB the very valuable tools of slate and stylus, which will be used during the course of study if admitted to a tertiary institution.”
“JEOG hopes to propose to JAMB, the institution of awards for the top three tertiary institutions that admit the most candidates with disabilities in a given year.”
“We are pleased to report that, in accordance with Agenda 2063 and SDG 4, JAMB has approved the hosting of a biennial (every two years) Africa Regional Conference on Equal Opportunities in Higher Education beginning in 2024, to be chaired by Professor Ishaq Oloyede and attended by all 55 African countries.”
“Professor Oloyede and the JAMB Management have also approved a national conference on the same theme for September 2023.” according to Punch Newspaper.
