Television Nigerian

On Monday, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) reiterated its decision not to extend the March 26, 2022 registration deadline for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE).

Prof Ishaq Oloyede, the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), explained that the board’s tight schedule would not allow for a date extension.

Oloyede, who spoke while monitoring the registration exercise at the Global Distance Learning Institute in Abuja, said that while 1.5 million to 1.6 million candidates have been registered so far, the final days of the exercise have seen low turnout across the country.

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He noted that only one candidate showed up for registration at the center, as opposed to the usual 200, and that registration across the country had dropped to less than 20,000 two days ago, down from 70,000 to 80,000 daily registrations.

“Today is March 21, 2022; there are still five days left, and you can see how empty the CBT centers are.” So we’re telling you now so that no one has the audacity to tell us to extend on the 26th. We have about 1.5 to 1.6 million candidates registered now, so we are ready to go.

“It’s easy to see how empty the registration centers are. You only have one candidate and look at your time, despite how large and efficient this center is. As a result, it’s clear that candidates aren’t showing up, or that the number of candidates who are eligible for registration has been reached.

“We’re working on a very tight schedule because other examination bodies have their slots, and we can’t encroach on NECO, WAEC, or NABTEB’s.” We’re on a tight schedule. And that’s why we keep saying yes, because we have the capacity to register 100,000 people in a single day,” he explained.

The JAMB boss urged candidates to come out and register, noting that the board was taking the campaign to the public to draw attention to the fact that students were not showing up to register, and that there would be no appeal to the board to extend the deadline.

“And we’ve been registering seventy-eight, but now we’re registering; we registered less than 20,000 the day before yesterday.” So, we’re telling everyone who wants to register that they should do so now because there will be no extensions,” he said.

Oloyede urged the media to visit the CBT facilities in Abuja and witness the low candidate turnout for registration in the final days of the exercise.

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Concerning CBT centers’ complaints about the high cost of diesel and the country’s energy problems, Oloyede said the board is attempting to open a dialogue with the NNPC, and that after due consultations, it would take action.

“They are complaining because they believe it is practically impossible to run now that we have set our charges at N700.” We are fully aware of the situation. We’re in talks with the National Nuclear Power Corporation (NNPC). We want to know what the situation is, and by God’s grace, we will address the issue once we receive appropriate advice from the NNPC.

“We are pleading with our CBT partners to be patient with us and provide efficient services to our people.” We aren’t evil; we don’t want people to panic, but we are where we are; we’ll see what we can do. “We’d do what’s necessary,” he said.