The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has declared to be the largest user of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for the conduct of examinations globally.
The Registrar of the organisation, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, made the declaration on Tuesday at this year’s International Week organised by the University of Lagos(UNILAG) Akoka in conjunction with some foreign universities overseas.
He spoke at the event as a panelist alongside the acting Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Dr Chris Maiyaki; the executive secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund(TETFUND), Mr Sonny Echono, who was represented by the ICT director of the fund, Mr Joseph Odoh; and the Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG, Prof Folasade Ogunsola.
Others on the panel are the First Secretary, European Union Commission, Nigeria, Prof Leila Mathieu; Vice-Chancellor of Pan Atlantic University, Lagos, Prof Emase Okonedo; Vice- Chancellor of Lagos State University of Science and Technology, Ikorodu, Prof Olumuyiwa Odusanya.
Speaking further, Oloyede said no other examination body in the world including the US and the UK has been able to register and conduct exams online for almost 2 million candidates at a go.
“Only JAMB has this record and it has done it successfully for many years and also be able to communicate effectively online with the candidates directly,” he stressed.
He also noted that the organisation had been able to accommodate candidates with special needs such as the visually impaired and albinos and so forth, thereby making its entrance exam inclusive, credible, equitable and cost- effective.
He, however, pointed out that though technology, especially Artificial Intelligence has gained wide acceptance globally, the fact remains that AI can only be relevant and credible with people with natural intelligence while inclusive digital transformation is still a way to go for higher education anywhere globally.
In his own contribution, the acting executive secretary of NUC, Dr Chris Maiyaki, also stressed the importance of fast-evolving digital age in today’s activities but worried about the Nigeria’s higher education as it is at a crossroad in the inclusive transformation journey.
