• Lists 10 varsities with higher admission rates
By Gabriel Dike
Chairman of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Equal Opportunity Group (JEOG), Prof. Peter Okebukola, has commended the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-shaq Oloyede for showing interest in the education of blind candidates and other physically challenged ones.
His words: ‘There are exciting times ahead of blind candidates and others with disabilities in the realization of the dream of Prof. Oloyede for equal admission opportunities.”
Okebukola, former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC) stated this when Prof. Oloyede-led UTME monitoring team visited the University of Lagos, one of the venues for the conduct of the UTME for blind and other physically challenged candidates.
He disclosed that Oloyede in 2017 set up JEOG, which is made up of 43 senior academics to conduct the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for blind candidates and others with disabilities.
According to him, the aim is to ensure that no Nigerian, who is eligible is prevented from the UTME regardless of disability.
“He (Oloyede) holds the firm view that we must have a level playing field for all candidates. As long as the candidate is intellectually capable and meets the minimum conditions for admission in the university, polytechnic, and colleges of education of choice, he or she should have a good chance of admission placement.
“Through the kindness of Prof. Oloyede, JAMB takes full responsibility for hotel accommodation and feeding of the candidates in the 11 centers and pays generous transport supplementation while providing them with a conducive environment to write the examination.”
Okebukola further stated that each blind candidate is given the precious tools of slate and stylus from JAMB that will be used during the course of study when admitted to a tertiary institution.
He revealed that JEOG is planning to propose to JAMB to institute awards for the top three tertiary institutions with the highest number of candidates with disabilities that are admitted in a given year.
Okebukola added that since 2017, JEOG had processed about 2, 600 candidates for the UTME with over a third admitted to courses of their choice in higher institutions.
He also stated that a number of blind candidates processed through JEOG secured admission to federal, state, and private universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
The chairman of JEOG said in 2019, out of 390 candidates, who sat for the UTME, 179 (48.8 percent) were offered admission, stressing, “This was unprecedented in the history of admission of blind candidates and others with disabilities.”
Okebukola specifically revealed that Bayero University Kano offered special dispensation for admitting blind candidates by expanding their carrying capacity for this category of students.
He disclosed that in 2020, 89 out of 351 blind candidates that wrote UTME were offered. In 2021, 110 got admitted out of 332 such applicants while in 2022, 139 out of 364 also got admitted.
“Five of the blind candidates scored above 270 in the 2022 UTME. Ninety-two (92) scored 200 and above,” he stated.
Prof. Okebukola also revealed 10 universities with higher admission rates for blind candidates in 2022, which include Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Obafemi Awolowo University, Gombe State University, Bayero University, Lagos State University, Ekiti State University, Redeemer’s University and the Universities of Lagos, Nsukka, and Benin.
Okebukola explained that JEOG used 11 centers for the 2023 UTME for 337 blind candidates and those with other disabilities and were examined in 20 subjects.
“It is worth stressing that the blind candidates take the same test items as those who are not blind. The mode of examination administration is blended-use of PCs and use of the traditional Braille slate and stylus/typewriters in writing answers to questions that are read out by a subject expert.