Hope, apprehension as UTME winds down

Some candidates who wrote the 2018 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination had expressed mixed feelings as the examination ended in some centres.
Some of the candidates in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos expressed hope of getting placement in prestigious tertiary institutions.
However, some others expressed fear that the admission process could be compromised.
Ismail Tajudeen, a candidate at the Connection Computer Institute, in Ojo Town near Lagos commended the process.
Tajudeen said: “The examination was in order and the organisers did a good job.
“I did not witness any incident of cheating or rowdiness and I am hopeful of positive results.’’
Michael Ogu, another candidate from the same centre said,“The examination centre here is very conducive, the computers are great and with the way I prepared for the examination, I’m sure to succeed.’’
Joan David, a candidate at the Career Building Academy, Ijanikin, expressed fear at the transparency of the process.
David said: “I am a bit scared about the examination because; last year, I was confident that I would do well, but when the results came out, I did not score enough points to secure admission.’’
At the Lagooz Secondary School Centre in Agege, Hakeem Balogun, a parent, commended the peaceful conduct of the examination.
Balogun said: “I am impressed at the organisation here.
“I have confidence in JAMB and I am sure that my daughter will do very well in the examination.
“She passed last year but she was not of age.’’
Another parent at the centre, Biola Omoba, told NAN that she could boldly say that “JAMB is improving every day’’.
Omoba said: “The atmosphere here is peaceful, no incidents of malpractices or hooliganism; I am impressed.’’
Moshood Momoh, a supervisor with JAMB, corroborated the parents’ views, saying that the examinations had been peaceful so far.
Momoh said: “Generally, the examination has been peaceful and we have not experienced any ugly incidents.
“We have three sessions per day, and each session accommodates 250 candidates.
“So far, the turn-out has been impressive, absentees is less than one per cent.’’
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the examination which started on March 9 across the country, with an estimated 1.6 million registered candidates, ends on Monday, March 19.