Cursory: Candidates are facing registration challenges for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination due to SIM card issues as JAMB mandates the use of the original phone number to prevent fraud. See full details…
Some candidates have expressed frustration over their inability to register for the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination due to issues related to changing their SIM cards.
The registration for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for Nigerian tertiary-level institutions, commenced on Monday, January 15th, 2024, and will continue until Monday, February 26th, 2024.
One candidate, Promise Okeogene, from Bariga, Lagos, shared his experience with our correspondent, stating that he encountered difficulties registering for the UTME in 2020.
Despite receiving a code on his phone number to proceed with registration, his current situation prevented him from completing the process.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t proceed with the registration because he was 15 years old and underaged.
He revealed, “This year I am now 18 years old but couldn’t register because I lost the SIM card I used to register in 2020.“JAMB insisted that it was the old SIM that I could use. I am confused, JAMB should help me.”
When our correspondent asked why he did not apply for a welcome back from his telecommunication service provider, Okeogene said, “Whenever I call the phone number, it is a Hausa lady that picks the line. It seems the telecommunication company has sold it to another customer.”
Another candidate in Ikorodu, Ganiyu Aderogba, also lamented “There is a challenge. My new phone number is not linked with my NIN, but JAMB is insisting that I use my old phone number which I used to register in 2021. But the number is lost and I didn’t bother to recover it. I don’t even know what to do now.”
Nonetheless, Dr. Benjamin Fabian, the spokesperson for JAMB, emphasized in an interview with The PUNCH that the SIM card served as the distinctive identifier for each candidate.
He clarified that the initial phone number used during UTME registration must be consistently utilized thereafter. This stringent policy aims to empower JAMB to prevent any forms of impersonation and examination malpractices effectively.
Fabian stated, “We want to block all avenues of impersonation because identity is important. If they have lost the SIM card they registered with earlier, they should go and welcome back, they should go and look for the SIM card, they can’t suddenly change their identity, the SIM card is a unique identifier that you can’t compromise. We don’t want impersonators in our system. With the NIN you can go and change your name tomorrow, so we don’t use NIN. We don’t use court affidavits. The SIM is our unique identifier because two people cannot have the same phone number and it is the first or old SIM they are allowed to use for life on our platform.
“We have blocked all avenues of malpractice with this. We cannot at this stage compromise our process. If you have lost your sim card, go and do welcome back.”
Fabian added that as of Thursday, a total of 1.7m candidates had registered.
Credits: ALLSCHOOL, PUNCH
Read Also: Over 1.4million Registers for 2024 JAMB, Registration Ends In 2 Weeks
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