JAMB Esterblish 11 Centres For PWDs, Over 2600 PWDs Sat For UMTE Exams since 2017– JEOG
The Albino Foundation Public Notice
Members of Jamb Equal Opportunity Group (JEOG), Abuja Centre for Blind Candidate has intensified their advocacy engagement and seek for more awareness on the activities of JEOG. The group said that over 2600 candidates with disabilities has sat for UMTE exams since 2017, as JAMB presently has established 11 centres as special exam centres for PWDs. The centres are located in Abuja, Ado Ekiti, Bauchi, Benin, Enugu, Jos, Kano, Kebbi, Lagos, Oyo, and Yola.
The disclosure was made by the Prof Sunday Ododo, Chairman, Abuja Centre for Blind Candidate in Abuja during a press conference organized by the group. The Chairman was accompanied by Amb. Jake Epelle, Founder, TAF African and Prof. Nike Sidigat Ijaiya, members of the Jamb Equal Opportunity Group (JEOG), Abuja Centre for Blind Candidate.
Prof Ododo explained that JEOG was setup by The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board made up of 43 senior academics, and other relevant stakeholders within the disability community has the mandate to ensure that no Nigerian who is eligible is prevented from taking the UTME regardless of disability, and if the candidate is intellectually capable and meets the minimum conditions for admission, such candidate is admitted to the institution of choice.
Prof Ododo enumerated some achievements by the group since establishment. He explained that in 2019, out of the 390 special candidates that sat for the exam, 175 candidates were given admission. In 2020, 89 of the 351 special candidates that sat for the UTME were admitted by tertiary institutions. In 2021, 110 PWDs candidates were admitted out of the 332 that sat for the UTME. In 2022, 139 candidates gained admissions out of the 364 candidates that wrote the UMTE. In 2023, in 11 centres there are 337 candidates of PWDs currently writing the UMTE.
Prof. Ododo said “Although JEOG was initially created for virtually impaired candidates only but it now catered for all PWDs. For the 2023 exams, JAMB is catering for the transport accommodation and feeding of all candidates and their aids.”
Epelle also commended JAMB for extending membership of JEOG to community leaders of PWDs.
“The examination, being conducted by the board for the visually impaired candidates is being held between April 27 and April 29, under the supervision of the JAMB Equal Opportunity Group (JEOG).”
JEOG urge the federal, state and private tertiary institutions to grant admission to blind candidates and other PWDs with the required cut off points in the on- going 2023 Jamb examination.
