The Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has inaugurated a 1000 capacity mega Computer Based Testing (CBT) centre constructed by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in Kaduna. Speaking while inaugurating the project constructed at the cost of N1.1bilion, El-Rufai, commended the federal ministry of education and JAMB for a good job.
He said JAMB, as an institution, has great potentials to contribute to the treasury of Nigeria provided it is managed by an upright, honest and dedicated public servant.
The governor added that the centre will make life easier for citizens of Kaduna and surrounding states.
“We are immensely proud of the transformation and reforms Prof. Is-haq O. Oloyede, has introduced in JAMB and as state governments, we are all beneficiaries of the huge surpluses that you have remitted to the federation account and it is our duty therefore to do whatever we can to support you…
“You are doing a good job, you have shown that, this institution has great potential to contribute to the treasury of Nigeria provided it is managed by an upright, honest and dedicated public servant…
“I commend the Federal Ministry of Education and JAMB to build this largest in Nigeria CBT Centre in Kaduna. “It will make life much easier for citizens of Kaduna and surrounding states,” El-Rufai said.
Also in his remarks at the occasion, minister of education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, described the centre as the first of its kind in West Africa.
He said the construction of the centre could not have come at a better time, considering the large number of secondary school leavers across the country.
“I see this edifice as another step to improve the assessment process as this facility would provide a conducive environment for candidates to sit for their examinations.
“The implementation of the computer-based test mode of assessing candidates is a brainchild of necessity but with so many advantages.
“For a start, the CBT mode has largely eliminated the problem of examination misconduct, engendered faster release of results as well as enhanced the credibility of the entire assessment process and is in line with international best practices”, the minister said.
He commended JAMB for its tireless efforts in sanitising the processes for admitting candidates into tertiary institutions.
Adamu said the board has demonstrated capacity and determination and call on Nigerians to support it.
Adamu said, “It is the prudent management of resources that opens the means for the board to conceive the project and finance it to its completion.
“It is no longer news that the board today is a leading light in the management of public resources given the number of projects it has executed despite its humongous remittances to the public coffers.
“I have been briefed that this project is executed for the sum of N1,198,764, 285.00.
“This is besides the Mega CBT Centre built in Gbongan, Osogbo, Owerri and the various renovations of many more in addition to the ones constructed through its partnership with the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC)”.
Speaking earlier the registrar of JAMB, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, said the centre consists of four distinct fully equipped professional Test Centres with combined seat of 1,100; four well equipped holding halls with a cumulative capacity of 1000 seats; four Professional Registration Centres (Biometric/Prometric Centres) that process 40 registrants concurrently; four Equipped Control/Server Rooms, 500 KVA Generators with 8 unit of 9KVA generators; 500 KVA dedicated transformer; 10KVA Solar facilities to serve as alternative independent power source; and 100 Extra Systems/Servers and other accessories for the use of other centres across the nation.
