UTME: Senate to allocate budget for JAMB ICT centres

The Nigerian Senate connected Friday stated that it volition supply a capable fund for the 2026 Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, for candidates seeking admittance into higher institutions of learning successful Nigeria.

This was disclosed by the Senate Committee connected Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND, noting that the examination, conducted nationwide by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, arsenic a computer-based test, CBT, should conform to planetary champion standards.

Speaking to journalists astatine Aduvie International School, Jahi, Abuja, during monitoring of the ongoing UTME, the president of the committee, Senator Mohammed Muntari Dandutse from Katsina South, expressed interest implicit the lack of introspection centres successful immoderate Local Government Areas crossed the federation.

The lawmaker remarked that if the Federal Government genuinely desired Nigerians to survey wrong the country, past entree to specified acquisition indispensable beryllium prioritised. He emphasised that the UTME process should beryllium made much accessible for applicants aspiring to survey successful tertiary institutions.

According to him, “In making it casual for candidates seeking admittance into universities oregon different tertiary institutions done UTME, the ICT centres indispensable beryllium made disposable successful each the 774 section authorities councils crossed the country.”

He revealed that successful his confederate senatorial territory successful Katsina, North-West Nigeria, lone 2 of the 11 section authorities areas person ICT centres for UTME, a concern helium described arsenic a hindrance for applicants.

“Since the Examination is machine based, centres for it request to beryllium made disposable crossed the 774 section authorities councils successful the state and successful doing this, this committee of the Senate successful collaboration with our colleagues successful the House of Representatives shall facilitate budgetary provisions for it successful 2026 fiscal year,” helium said.

Speaking connected the challenges faced by JAMB, the board’s spokesman, Dr Fabian Benjamin, informed members of the Senate committee: “JAMB presently has adjacent to 900 ICT centres crossed the country, and, successful fact, precisely 880 centres, which, however, bash not screen each the 774 section authorities councils crossed the country.

“JAMB shall beryllium blessed if the committee facilitates budgetary provisions for constitution of ICT centres successful section authorities councils crossed the state that are yet to person one.”

The committee, which included senators Jibrin Isah (Kogi East), Diket Plang (Plateau Central), and others connected the oversight tour, archetypal visited Government Secondary School, Wuse Zone 3, to show the UTME, wherever its president expressed restitution with JAMB’s arrangements for the creaseless behaviour of the examination.