Atleast 577 blind candidates are set to participate in 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination(UTME) reportedly in eleven centres nationwide.
Chairman of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB Equal Opportunity Group (JEOG) Emeritus Professor Peter Okebukola shared the aforementioned information on Thursday while addressing the press in preparation for the 2024 UTME for handicapped candidates such as the blind candidates and others with special needs and care which were assigned to JEOG.
Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede ( a former Unilorin vice-chancellor) set up the JAMB Equal Opportunity Group in 2017 for proper and effective handling of the blind candidates and others with special needs (handicapped students)
According to Okebukola he said, "this year and for the first time, JAMB, through JEOG, will implement the bimodal system of UTME administration".Source
"This involves Fully-Braille and Fully Read-Aloud. Candidates have a choice of mode. JEOG has been resourced by JAMB to make the experience of the two modes of test administration pleasant for the candidates"Source
He expressed himself further by saying;
"With a total of 577 blind candidates, the 2024 UTME presents the highest number. We had 348 in 2022, 313 in 2023. The 2024 increase is largely due to increased advocacy by JEOG, a process which will be bolstered in the coming years,"Source he added.
Peter Okebukola who is also the President of the Global University Network for Innovation (GUNi-Africa), described, the Registrar of the Board, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede as one of the bedrock and contributors of equal opportunity of access to higher education in Africa at large.
He progressed on by saying: "In the last four days, I have conferred with members of GUNi-Africa on how blind candidates aspiring for higher education in Africa are treated in their countries and all are in agreement that Nigeria, through Professor Oloyede, stands clearly out as the best."Source
He also added that the blind candidates who passed the UTME exam and got the admission into higher institutions with atleast 5 olevel credit results will have their UTME fees refunded back to them as part of the kind gesture being shown by the board.
Peter Okebukola the Chairman of JEOG also the former Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission (NUC), said the other five “goodies” that Oloyede has been making available for the special needs candidates since 2017 include the following such as the; free hotel accommodation for the blind candidates and their academic guides, free Braille slate and stylus, customised t-shirts wears; free meals and recipes throughout the examination period and transport fares supplementation and other additional resources for the blind candidates and other special needs candidates in general.
That's all as regards this post on the opportunity given to candidates with special needs by the Joint admissions and matriculation board JAMB.
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Cross-posted from my Blurt Account
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