JAMB results release, 842,941 score below 200

JAMB on Friday released the results of last Saturday’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
Out of the 1,493,000 candidates that sat for the examination, a total of 2,892 candidates scored 300 and above, while 842,941 candidates scored below 200 marks.
The Registrar and Chief Executive of JAMB, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, stated that 28,069 cases of incomplete results were recorded.


This, he explained, was due to a number of factors including candidates’ failure to fill in their subjects properly; multiple shading; or no shading at all.
Ojerinde noted that the figure was a remarkable reduction compared to the 2010 exam, but noted that it was still high. He said, “Our target is to totally eliminate this phenomenon by drumming it to out examiners to do checks on candidates during the examinations.”

Other figures showed that a total of 7,504 results were withheld and are still under investigation by the examination body. About 15,160 cases of various forms of examination malpractices were also recorded.The statistics showed that candidates from Imo State topped list of applicants with 113,543, representing 7.60 per cent, followed by Delta with a total of 93,971 candidates representing 6.29 per cent.
In contrast, the Federal Capital Territory recorded the lowest number with 3,093 candidates, representing 0.21 per cent, while Zamfara had 5,253 candidates, representing 0.35 per cent of the total applicants.
As for the highest number of applicants, the University of Lagos received 99,195 applicants, but can only admit 9,507 candidates. The Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and University of Nigeria, Nsukka, had 89,760 and 88, 177 applicants respectively.
Ojerinde noted that while the UTME was created out of the need to expand access, candidates continued to have higher preference for universities ahead of other tertiary institutions.
“Unfortunately, the universities still contend with the constraints of carrying capacities,” Ojerinde said.
On the controversial biometric method of screening introduced by the board this year, Ojerinde explained that JAMB recorded more successes than failures in the project.
He said about 99,000 candidates were successfully thumb-printed while the rest (about 500,000), were screened through the traditional method of using the e-slip.
Ojerinde said, “To us in JAMB, it has recorded more successes than drawbacks. For instance, the system in many centres ensured candidates were orderly and peaceful.
“We will want to place on record that we commend their patience in this regard, just as we are determined to rise above the few hiccups that were experienced this time around.
“In addition, a majority of the candidates came early and the impersonators were fenced off as a result of the knowledge and utilisation of the biometrics”. He promised improvements in subsequent examinations.”