JAMB DIRECT ENTRY: HARDSHIP, EXTORTION MARS REGISTRATION IN LAGOS

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(VIDEO & PICTURES)

By Adeola Abdullah

Candidates for this year’s University and Tertiary institutions Matriculation Examination (UTME) Direct Entry (DE), in the Lagos zone have lamented the hardship they are currently facing in getting the registration done at the Ikoyi office of the Joint Admissions Matriculation Board (JAMB).

A parent of one of the applicants who spoke with Hotjist expressed frustration by himself and his ward having attempted thrice to get the registration done at the JAMB office.

“I have been trying to register my ward for JAMB DE for over one week now but yet to get it done. Why? It must be done at the JAMB office in Ikoyi! Every candidate that wants to register for JAMB DE has to go to JAMB office in Ikoyi to get registered!

“We got here around 4.40am because my ward must be there very early if we must get it done. Meanwhile, we have been here three (3) times earlier.

“The first time we got there around 10am because we had to go to Computer Based Test (CBT) Centre first, after getting the code and then pin online. When we got to the CBT centre, we were told to go to JAMB office because registration can only be done in Ikoyi for every candidate in Lagos.

“By the time we got there they said he couldn’t even enter the office. We were advised to come early next time. We went back the next day, Friday, 15th of March at 7am and he was able to enter the JAMB office.

“By past 9am, when he was getting close to the door of the exact office where the registration was to be done, they were all told the registration couldn’t be done for them again.

“They were told to come back by Tuesday, 19th of March.

“We noticed that some people (candidates) who came later, entered the office and got their registration done.

“On Tuesday, 19th March, we got here by 6am, and met over 200 people on queue.

“My ward was given a paper like others to write their names on the list and his number was above 250.

“When they got into the premises, they observed that some candidates who came much later were granted access ahead of people who came earlier, and got their registration done!

“By 12 noon, the JAMB officials had abandoned them. They were later told at about past 1pm to go home and come back today, Thursday; after being given a code.

While speaking with another candidate, female, she told Hotjist that she got to the JAMB office around 3.30am so that she can perhaps be the first on the queue, but she wasn’t lucky enough.

“To be first on the queue, you have to get here latest 3am.

“There are phone numbers candidates are supposed to call to get codes that will grant access but these lines are hardly reachable. And when you get through at times, there is no response.

“What is more annoying is that some people are apparently pay bribes to get things done.”

Another candidate said, “I know someone who was asked to pay N2,000 (Two Thousand Naira) so that the registration can be fast-tracked.

“Why do I have to pay anyone to get what us legitimately my right?

“I want to be responsible for my documentation because I have heard many stories of candidates going through hardship several years after registration with JAMB because their details were entered incorrectly at the time of registration.

“The efficiency story that is out about JAMB is not what it is when you have any personal interaction with their officials. They are hardly considerate in dealing with issues”.

All efforts by our correspondent to get the position of the Head of Lagos Zonal Office of JAMB proved abortive.