Story from Shafa’atu DAUDA, Kano
About 60 visually impaired candidates on Wednesday, wrote the 2021 University and Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) at the School of Continuing Education, Bayero University in Kano State.
The immediate past Vice-Chancellor of the University, Yahuza Bello, told journalists that the candidates were drawn from Jigawa, Katsina, Kano and Kaduna states.
Mr Bello who doubles as coordinator of the centre said Kano has been hosting candidates from all parts of Northern Nigeria, but this year the management of JAMB has approved decentralization of the centre.
According to him, the newly created centres were sited at Bauchi, Yola, Birnin-Kebbi and Jos.
Mr Bello announced that JAMB has provided free accommodations, feeding and transportation to all candidates and their guides.
The examination body according to Bello has also donated free slate and stylus to all candidates for their personal use after the exams.
“Today in Kano, we have about 60 candidates that are writing the examination from four states – Kano, Katsina, Jigawa and some from northern Kaduna are writing their examination here.
“The group here in Kano has been meeting consistently in order to make all the necessary arrangements for the examination including the procurement of equipment that they are going to use – the slates, stylus, typewriter and Braille machine. We made them available for them,” he said.
He recalled that the examination was introduced by the Registrar of JAMB, Ishaq Olayade in 2017 as an alternative to computer based test for visually impaired candidates.
“The registrar of JAMB who was new then, noted that there are a lot of candidates that are disadvantaged particularly with the new method of computer based test introduced. The blind candidate cannot read computer screen. There is no way they can read the question paper and answer those questions. He brought this initiative to ensure these candidates have the opportunity to further their studies.
“We introduced this method of reading the questions for them, so that they can answer. Another group we later found that are not such special, are the candidates that are in prison. They used to be under JAMB equal opportunity group but found that if normal arrangement is made; those candidates can take their examination like any other candidates.
“JAMB has made arrangements for those that are in prison to take their examination together with normal candidates,” Mr Bello said.
He recalled that Bayero University has waived Post UTME to all visually impaired candidates who scored 160 in JAMB examination.
According to him, this initiative has started yielding positive results as one visually impaired student from department of Islamic studies had recently graduated with a second class upper degree.
Follow the Neptune Prime channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va74ZvU2v1IqKByXoX3d
Do you have breaking news, interview request, opinion, suggestion, or want your event covered? Email us at neptuneprime2233@gmail.com
 at the School){kind=link}