…As 337 blind- candidates take 2023 JAMB
By Elizabeth Osayande
The Chairman, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Equal Opportunity Group, JEOG Prof. Peter Okebukola, has disclosed that blind students when compared proportionally with their non-blind candidates did better in the 2022 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, which saw 139 out of 364 visually impaired candidates gaining admission into higher institutions of their choice.
The former Executive Secretary National Universities Commission, NUC, said this at the just-concluded UTME for blind candidates organized by the JEOG under the leadership of JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede.
Speaking with journalists, the Distinguished Emeritus Professor, who noted that a total of 337 candidates took part in this year’s UTME, explained that since the setting up of JEOG in 2017, 2, 600 candidates have had their UTME processed in the 11 centers across the country, with their accommodation, feeding, and transportation fully sponsored through the kindness of Prof. Oloyede.
His words: ” As directed by JAMB, JEOG conducts UTME for blind candidates and others with disabilities such as Autism, and Down Syndrome. The goal of Oloyede-led JAMB is to ensure that no Nigerian who is eligible, is prevented from taking UTME regardless of disability.”
Speaking on the performance of the students, Okebukola noted, “For example, in 2022, 139 candidates out of 364 candidates that took the UTME ( 38%) were admitted to higher education institutions of their choice. Five of the blind candidates scored above 270. Ninety-two scored above 200.
” When compared proportionally with the non-blind candidates, the blind candidates are doing as well, if not better than the visually unimpaired candidates,” he noted.
He later reeled out measures JAMB was taking to make UTME seamless for blind candidates, such as improving on the ICT usage for the education of the blind; improve on encouraging more blind students into STEM subjects, among others.