….. With 11 Centres Across Nigeria
In a bid to create equal opportunity for People Living with Disabilities as their counterparts writing the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Examination, the Board under the leadership of Prof. Ishaq Oloyede has put together a body known as Joint Admissions and Matriculation Equal Opportunity Group (JEOG), to see to the affairs of these set of people during the examination across the nation.
The group which has been in existence since 2017 under the chairmanship of Prof. Peter Okebukola was to look at how the PLWDs will write the examination seamlessly and without hitches.
Speaking at the Lagos Centre for the PLWDs, on Monday, the Coordinator, Prof. Olarewaju Fagbohun disclosed that there are 11 of such centres across the nation to see to the affairs of these set of candidates.
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“What JAMB wants to achieve is that nobody must be left behind, every Nigerian, irrespective of their disability must not have a challenge of saying I was not able to go to the tertiary institution because of my disability.
“We want to make sure that every Nigerian, irrespective of their disability have equal opportunity; you can achieve the height of your vision as an individual. You can become the best of your desire, that is the goal of JAMB and that is what Professor Ishaq Oloyede is pushing for,” he stated.
He listed PLWD to include those who have problem with vision, hearing impairments, people with locomotor disability and a host of others who were identified during registration process and were invited to write the examination in the 11 Centres meant for PLWDs across the nation.
“Many of them are brilliant but the problem is if you put them at the general center with other students who have no disabilities, the chances are that nobody will recognize the need to take special care and attention to their needs, so that was why that body was established.
“Secondly, we want to make sure that there is no error in the way they have captured their subject combinations. We also want to be sure that we know the things they will need for the exam so that we will be able to prepare for them,” he added.
Disclosing how JEOG goes about the process before and during the examination, Fagbohun said the examination for the PLWDs for JAMB 2025 is slated for Monday, 28th and Tuesday 29th April, 2025 with JAMB taking up all expenses including accommodation for the candidates and their guides as well as provision for food for the three days they will be around for the examination.
“JAMB also gives them what we call transport supplementation allowance; we give them money. That is, we give them money for the candidate and for the guide. So coming for the exam is not the problem; going back home after the exam is not a problem.”
He said: “There is what we call the read aloud; we provide them also with the braille and the stylus they use, we provide it for all of them free; it is a gift that we give to all of them, so that when they come, they are able to use their equipment to answer the questions.
“For those of them who want to read themselves, maybe they have hearing impairment, but they can read and they can write, we will give them the questions, so they read and they write. For those of them who have locomotive disorder, that means they are not able to write or anything like that, we will give them expert who will sit with them, because they can hear and they can process.
“For those of them who are able to use their laptop, we allow them to use their laptops, because some of them are good with their laptops,” he explained.
On how tertiary institutions can be in line with what JAMB is doing, the. Coordinator said the idea is for every tertiary institutions to key into the vision and as JAMB is playing their role, all institutions are also playing their role in accepting these candidates and equipping them.
For instance, having the enabling environment, having areas where people living with disabilities can effectively operate without needing much assistance on their own; building their facilities in such a way that it takes good cognizance of people living with disabilities.
“The opportunity should not just be at entry point, but it must be continuous. The government also must play its own role in ensuring that when they finish, they will have employment opportunities,” he urged.
Advising parents not to give up on PLWDs, Fagbohun said they have great potential which may not be nurtured if they abandon them and they should be assured that government is determined to work with them and support them and that is the kind of thing that is coming from JAMB.
On hope in the country, Nigeria, the academician urged Nigerians to believe in Nigeria. “We may have gotten some things wrong before, but things are changing and we are working towards a better Nigeria.
“We must have confidence in this system, we must support the system; we are not saying that we are perfect, but we will continue to improve; and this particular JEOG project has been improving over the years and we are all out to institutionalize the programme therefore be rest assured that it will be sustained.
Parents Reactions:
A cross section of parents at the centre thanked JAMB for the initiative while urging other examination bodies in the country to do the same so that things will be easier for candidates with disabilities.
Mrs. Maria Adeshina whose son was among those writing the examination at the centre said the initiative is a kind of relief to parents and will go a long way to encourage parents to belief in these children.
“When I heard of this arrangement I was so happy, it will actually help these children achieve what they want to achieve in future. I was happy and I want to say a very big thank you to the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede for this great arrangement for these children.
“This arrangement will give them the opportunity to be able to achieve what they want because no matter the disability, they are very brilliant. If not for this arrangement most of them may not proceed education wise.
“We really appreciate Prof. Oloyede and JAMB for this arrangement.”
Deaconess Kaliku Gift on her part expressed her happiness because of the initiative. She said: ‘I am very impressed and if they continue this way other challenged children will have the courage to move forward.
“If this is also done by other examination bodies, it will help the children living with disability to want to go to school. They will feel they are loved and well taking care of. There is food for both the candidate and the guide with them and accommodation. Thank you JAMB for the gesture,” she said.
For Mr. Badipe Olatunbosun, the initiative is a laudable gesture and this shows that government is allowing all inclusive equal opportunity for the children with disabilities to express themselves.
“There is ability in disability. Before they were denied opportunity like this but now most of them can raise up their heads that they can do what people without disabilities are doing.
“I want to thank Prof. Oloyede and his team for bringing this initiative and I hope that we continue with this and even improve on it so that we will know that people with disability has a voice because an uneducated person has nothing or little to contribute to the nation.
Engr. Adebowale Adegbayi commended the JEOG team under the supervision of the Coordinator, Prof. Fagbohun adding that he never knew something like the initiative exist.
“To me it is a good development. Like I said this is a step in the right direction, we run to other nation because of the environment they created over there, if we create such here it will go a long way because I see their disability as a gift.
“I must say the team here were really accommodating and organized. There is lot of hope in Nigeria with this and I think the Registrar and his team are doing a great job to proof this,” he said.
It should be noted that the Lagos Centre comprises of Lagos and Ogun state.
BV.
