JAMB: 364 Visually Impaired Candidates To Take 2023 UTME

The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has disclosed that a total of 364 visually impaired candidates are to take the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME)in eleven centres across the nation.

The examination of the special candidates will take place between April 27 and 29, 2023 under the supervision of the JAMB Equal Opportunity Group. 

The Chairman of JAMB Equal Opportunity Group (JEOG), Professor Peter Okebukola, made this known while disclosing the highlights of the 2023 examination.

Okebukola lauded the e JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, for making arrangements for the special candidates, stating that Oloyede's administration aims at ensuring that no Nigerian is prevented from taking the examination.

According to him, JEOG has since 2017 processed about 2,600 candidates for the UTME with over a third admitted to courses of their choice in higher education institutions in Nigeria, especially universities.

Okebukola who is a former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC) disclosed that JAMB has approved the gradual migration to the full CBT mode customised for blind candidates from 2024, against the traditional Braille slate and stylus/typewriters in writing answers to questions that are read out by a subject expert.

He further noted that a pilot run will be conducted to test the new mode this year and provide options to candidates who would prefer fully Braille, fully CBT and full read-aloud modes.

 “There are exciting times ahead for blind candidates and others with disabilities in the realisation of the dream of Professor Is-had Oloyede for equal opportunity.”

Sharing more highlights, Okebukola said: “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.

“In 2019, of the 390 candidates, a total of 175 (44.8%) were given admission. This was unprecedented in the history of admission of such a category of students into the Nigerian higher education system, another of Professor Oloyede’s golden legacies.

“In 2020, 89 of the 351 blind candidates (25%) that sat for the UTME. In 2021, a total of 110 blind candidates were given admission, out of the 332 that sat for the UTME.

"This 33% admission of blind candidates to higher education in an annual cohort is unprecedented in the African higher education system.

“The 2023 exercise is taking place in 11 centres nationwide. This is in the interest of bringing the venue of the examination closer to the candidates, especially with the security situation in the country.

“The centres are coordinated by seasoned academics and university administrators. The total number of candidates is 364,” he stated.

The Chairman Governing Board of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) added: “The Group is excited about candidates, though few, who offer science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects since this is an important slant to equal opportunity.

“A study has been underway since 2018 to explore ways of encouraging many blind candidates to study STEM subjects recognising the inclement conditions for the study of science by blind candidates at the secondary and post-secondary levels.

“Through the kindness of Professor Is-haq Oloyede, JAMB takes full responsibility for hotel accommodation and feeding of the candidates in the 11 centres and pays generous transport supplementation while providing them with a conducive environment to write the examination.

“Additionally, each blind candidate receives the very precious tools of slate and stylus from JAMB that will be used during the course of study, when admitted to a tertiary institution.

“JEOG is hoping to propose to JAMB, the institution of awards for the top three tertiary institutions with the highest number of candidates with disabilities that are admitted in a given year.

“We are happy to report that JAMB has approved, within the framework of Agenda 2063 and SDG 4, to host biennial (every two years) Africa Regional Conference on Equal Opportunities in Higher Education starting from 2024 to be chaired by Professor Is-haq Oloyede and with all 55 African countries participating.

“A national conference on the same theme has also been approved by Professor Oloyede and the JAMB Management to hold in September 2023”.