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2019 UTME: Exam Ethics Marshal commends JAMB, registrar

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Agency Report
The Exam Ethics Marshal International has commended the Registrar, Joint Admissions Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede and his team for successful conduct of the 2019 JAMB examination.
Mr Ike Onyechere, Founding Chairman, Exam Ethics Marshals International, gave the commendation in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.
He said that the registrar has done well for putting an end to conspiracy of silence and lip service in the fight against examination malpractice in the country.
“The 2019 JAMB UTME was held from April 11 to April 17, with the result released on May 11 showed that while 1,886, 508 candidates sat for the exams 1,792,719 results were released.
“34,120 results were cancelled for their involvement in exam fraud while 15,145 results are still being clarified.
“The entire process is a success story in general and in terms of the campaign to eradicate exam malpractice and entrench exam ethics,” he said.
He said Oloyede has demonstrated that the monster of examination malpractice ravaging Nigeria’s education system can effectively be caged if the leadership of Exam Boards summon the courage and political will to confront the challenge.
According to him, JAMB has confirmed beyond any reasonable doubt that exam malpractice is now an organised criminal enterprise orchestrated by full time professional criminals.
“With members of syndicates embedded in some Ministries, Agencies, Institutions and Examination Boards.
“Exam special (magic) centres masquerading as Schools (duly registered and licensed by State Ministries of Education) are their operational fronts for Secondary School Certificates (SSC) and other exams.
“When JAMB migrated from Paper and Pencil Tests (PPT) to Computer Based Tests (CBT), they set up cyber cafes and CBT centres as fronts for their JAMB operations.
“For the 2019 exams, 112 of such centres were identified, blacklisted, delisted or suspended by JAMB,” he said.
The chairman explained that exam fraud syndicates and their collaborating parents disguised as public interest, social responsibility commentators and mount media pressure to get JAMB to rescind its decision not to register candidates without biometric verification.
Onyechere said that the registrar has demonstrated strong nerves, strength of character and supreme self confidence in resisting the pressure and ensuring that no candidate sat for the exams without biometric verification.
He disclosed that this has enabled JAMB to block the standard operating strategy of the fraudsters of multiple registration and use of exam mercenaries, adding that 34,120 results were still cancelled for exam fraud.
“When the exam ended on 17th April and JAMB noticed that some fraudsters still penetrated the system, it decided to conduct a meticulous check to fish out the culprits instead of rushing to release the results.
“Again they mounted pressure and the registrar and his team resisted, if they have succumbed JAMB would have achieved a fleeting praise for speedy release of results.
“But the exam fraudsters that succeeded in beating the system would not have been identified and credibility and integrity of the results would have been compromised,” he said.
Onyechere said that the integrity of the administration and supervision process of 2019 JAMB exams was improved by engagement of Vice-Chancellors as JAMB Chief External Examiners in various States.
He disclosed that coupled with the use of serving and retired top professionals and directors from public and private sector organisations, it was difficult for the fraudsters to bride their way through this caliber of professionals.
He said that the offer of bribe of N1.7 million cash in one exam centre was reported.
“The use of VCs as Chief External Examiners also restored confidence of tertiary institutions in the JAMB UTME process.
“Instead of the clamor for post-UTME exams, tertiary institutions now see themselves as partners and co-owners in the JAMB process, it is a master class deployment of strategy of team work”.
The chairman noted that Exam Ethics Marshals have supported the VCs on account of persistent issues of lack of integrity in JAMB exams, which are now being seriously addressed.
He said that the 2019 JAMB UTME has set another important record, adding that 128 fraudsters were arrested during the exams that ended on 17th April.
He said that five of them have already been convicted in Zamfara, Kebbi and other states less than one month after the exams and123 others are standing trial in other states.
“The judicial officers that tried and jailed the culprits in record time deserve commendation of all patriotic Nigerians; It is also in the public domain that the registrar is not covering up anyone found to have compromised including JAMB staff.
“UTME 2019 has demonstrated the possibilities in the war against exam malpractice beyond lip service.
“The challenge is huge, complex, systemic and pervasive with almost all categories of stakeholders represented in the line-up of perpetrators at all levels and every sector of education from primary to tertiary,” he said.
He called on Security Agencies, Judiciary, State Governments and Ministries of Education, other Exam boards, Heads of Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Institutions, Teaching and Non-Teaching Staff, Parents, Students, and all education stakeholders to work together to combat exam malpractice and entrench exam ethics.
Onyechere said that the success of war against corruption and crime and the progress of Nigerian nation depends on rebuilding the collapsed moral foundation and infrastructure of education.
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Dikko And The New Vision Accountability and Development in Sports

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Felly Mammah N.

Since the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Alhaji Shehu Dikko assumed office on the 30th of October, 2024, he has systematically and deliberately been putting in place structures that would result to proper development of sports in Nigeria. Shortly after he was first appointed by President Bola Tinubu as a leading strength of sports, the Director General (DG), Hon. Bukola Olapade was appointed to compliment his efforts.

Many sports analysts believe that the duo of Dikko and Olapade who have been very visible in sports administration will be one of the best combination to take the sports sector to the next level. The DG no doubt, is the head of administration in the Commission, but it should be noted that the financial enablement to manage the affairs of staff and the political might that shops for the finance needed in the running of the sector rest on the Chairman who has the task of liaising with the President directly.

It is also, worthy to note that there is a huge difference between the administration of in the Civil Service as it is controlled by a Permanent Secretary and Directors while the administration of a Commission involves Board Members and experts whose voices and actions are also, game-changing; more so as Commissioners are likely going to take charge of the different zones to proffer solutions for a way forward. The defunct Ministry of Youths and Sports Development which later in 2023 metamorphosed into the Ministry of Sports Development on the assumption of President Bola Tinubu, produced a minister who was not versed in sports administration and as a result, faced mass criticism especially from men of the media.

These men of the pen profession are the torchlight of global sporting activity; they equally keep the history of both sports participation globally as well as the records of athletes’ performances. Their torchlight on past Minister’s and particularly the recent past, have revealed that most of the people who presided over sports administration do not really have any knowledge of the sector before their appointment.

The exit of the immediate past Minister, Sen. John Owan Enoh, refreshingly paved the way for change and this has brought in sports personnels that are expected to place sporting activities in the digital world. Suffice it to also, say that the new management of Sports Commission in parts of her changes is expected to sanitize athletes’ attitude and character for better reflection of children who have seen and communicated with their peers in the Western world.

However, the clarion call for President Tinubu to remove politics in sports may have changed the leadership of sports going by what many sports fans saw in the last outing of both Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris 2024, where a country like Nigeria did not measure up to her potentials.

Despite the poor performance of atheletes during the World Olympics Games, the past immediate past Minister deserves to be commended that during his tenure, the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) Games was reawakened as the participation of our Super Eagles brought back hope and jubilation to sports fans including the President and higher authorities. Yes whopping sum of N12 Billion was released two weeks to the Olympics Games and at a time the country was not financially stable. Despite the presidential financial support, the medals presented to the country were crisis and ignorant of both the atheletes, Nigeria Olympic Committee and the Atheletic Federaton to do the needful.

Therefore, it is heart-warming that the President harkened to the appeal of his fellow sports lovers to handpick a known figure in the sports arena to share his wealth of experience that gave him both a name in Sports and positions as the former Chairman of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Chairman League Management Company (LMC), FIFA match Commissioner of significance, 2nd Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and presently, CAF Committee Member, in addition to his new portfolio as Chairman NSC.

My reference point here is that Alh. Dikko has been given the authority to effect positive change in sports sector, co-ordinate over 40 Sports Federations in the sector, welcome ideas of both sports stakeholders, individuals and veterans of sports that will enable him x-ray the reasons for poor performances in the sector and to chat a way forward for success story. There can never be a new testament without an old testament, thus the reason Alh. Dikko’s doors have remained opened to receive courtesy calls that included the visits by past administrators and foreigners who want to facilitate with whom the cap fits.

Still, in the mood of celebration to formally welcome Alh. Dikko to office was the peculiar power of sports which gathered momentum and the crowd for happy moments as seen in the recent novelty match organized by his friends, associates and sports veterans at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja recently. That gathering clearly announced not just a man who has made a name for himself at a height in global political decision making in sports circle, but a man who has also, given voice to our country’s leagues and international activities.

Sports is a significant sector that comprises emotion, tension, happiness, sadness even death and hope irrespective of the fact that it has the potential to feed many mouths. The sector cannot be compared to other Ministries with delayed bureaucracies and frustration of abilities. While in the civil service the head will rather submerge a growing talent for fear of power thrown, a coach who discovers a talent takes the credit for showcasing a star athelete discovered. Sports has been proven to generate revenue as well as attract public partnership which are all aimed at enhancing podium performance by the athletes.

Shehu Dikko’s business vision and wide participation in football contributed in making him the right candidate to place the sector in its expected level, increase the GDP of the country’s economy and equally be accountable with administrative roadmap for success.

The novelty match organised for him by his sports fans and League managers had the likes of Samson Siasia, Victor Ikpeba, Mutiu Adepoju, Dominic Iorfa, Ahmed Musa in attendance to share their joy with him as they displayed their talent with their foot.
Others that graced the occasion were Super Sports General Manager, Felix Nwogu, former and present Chairmen of House Committee on Sports, NFF President, NOC members and persons from across the globe. That singular act indicated a clear fact that Dikko can actually gather momentum with persons that can support his ideology to deliver as charged by the presidency.

However, the Chairman’s meekness to open his doors to all does not mean weakness neither does it mean that he has not commenced work officially. His work is more of brain tasking because ideas actually rule the world. I will boldly say that he has resumed work with like minds that will not only be on the same page with him but will as well be on success Guinness Book with him.

Felly Mammah N.
Press Officer (NSC).

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