By Kuni Tyessi
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has said that the use of email was no longer required for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE) registration’s processes.
Registrar of JAMB, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, who made this known while addressing journalists yesterday in Abuja, said email would only be requested at the successful completion of registration exercise by candidates to access information on the exam.
He said as from Thursday, April 15, 2021 (today), candidates would no longer be required to provide any email address during registration, adding that consequently, candidates would have the options to access their profile during or after registration.
He said the options include: “Mobile APP on the candidates’ phone, on the 55019 option (being designed) for example admission status checking, acceptance of admission on their profile.
“Printing of examination slip (Notification) or result notification slip or ticketing can be done anywhere using the candidate’s JAMB registration number only.
“At the conclusion of the 2021 UTME/DE Registration exercise, candidates will provide their email addresses only after the 2021 UTME/DE registration exercise has been declared closed by JAMB through (a) Mobile APP on his/her registered phone.
“Sending the word email (space then the email address) on his /her registered phone to 55019.
“The email is typed twice for correctness (Email addresses will be entered twice for validation and prevention of typographical errors,” Oloyede explained.
The JAMB boss said the new system was adopted to ensure candidates’ information were not exposed to dubious cyber cafe operators and other criminal elements who in the course of UTME/ Direct Entry registration could steal email passwords to perpetrate fraud.
The JAMB boss said an individual’s mobile phone now remains the only major tool to carry out all the registration processes.
Speaking further, Oloyede said the Board has phased out the use of cash for any transactions in the Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres owned by JAMB, saying only use of Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards would be allowed.
While saying the move was to frustrate the antics of touts who positioned themselves around JAMB CBT centres as well as prevent illegal charges, Oloyede said candidates that were only keen in using cash can visit privately owned centres for their registrative and other activities.
Earlier, a final year student of University of Abuja (UniAbuja), Adegoke Justina, told journalists how she was lured to hand over her email details to a cyber cafe staff, who posed as staff of the Board.
Adegoke had visited JAMB CBT centre in Kogo-Bwari area of Abuja, to rectify issues with her admission when she was accosted by the young man, who promised to help do necessary applications, only for him to be issuing threats and demanding money days later after taking over the student’s email address.
Moses Peter, the cyber cafe operator, nabbed by police over the incident, however, identified the perpetrator of the crime as one David Ahmad, a student of Auchi Polytechnic, who once worked in the cafe.
