2018 UTME: Candidates complain over use of computer

Some candidates who sat for the ongoing 2018 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) say they found the use of computers challenging.The candidates spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent who monitored the exercise on Monday in Abuja.

NAN reports that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on March 9 started the 2018 UTME in its 605 centres across the country.One if the candidates, Aliyu Dikko, who sat a Dutse-Makaranta Centre told NAN that the questions were not as challenging as the use of the computer.

Aliyu said that his inability to use the computer was because he was coming from a rural part of the town and access to the such gadgets was a challenge.

He said that the little knowledge he had on the use of computer was a bit different from what he experienced while sitting for the examination.

“For instance, I got so tensed I skipped to the next page when I was not through with the one I was answering.

“Asides this, everything went fine with me; I’ll just go and pray that God favours me,” he said.

Another candidate, Temitope Momodu said that it was just two weeks ago that she familiarises herself with the use of a computer.

She said that her school, which was government-owned, was teaching computer studies but not the practical aspect of it that would enable her use the system effectively.

She, however, said that her experience during the examinations was a smooth one, although she was slow, she managed to make good use of her time.

Nnoli Samuel, another candidate said more students would have been familiar with the procedure of how to use the computer, if JAMB was able to conduct a mock test for everyone before the examination proper.

According to him, only those who are writing the examinations for the second or more time will find the use of the computer easy.

“Some of us are writing for the first time, it is not as if I have not used a computer before but you know this is an exam and if you make one mistake, there’s no going back.

“You need to think well at the same time be fast because your time is running. I must say also that the questions were what I expected but the options were really confusing for me.”

Samuel lauded the entire conduct of the exercise, while also commending the centre for keeping to time as well as maintaining a hitch free session.

Mrs Kate Udoh, a parent of one of the candidates at a Bwari centre advised other parents to ensure their children received computer training while in school.

“If the school, whether private or government owned, does not teach or have the computers to teach them, the children should be enrolled in training centres.

“This is better than buying them big phones and gadgets they do not need for now and that may even take away their attention from learning from the big screen.“This is where it starts from, once they gain admissions into higher schools, it would not be new to them anymore.”

NAN recalls that Prof. Is’hak Oloyede, JAMB’s Registrar recently stressed the board’s readiness to keep pace with the fast changes in technology.He therefore urged candidates to improve their skills in information technology to be able to run with the board’s vision.