By Amidu Arije
A rights organisation, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has urged the Joint Administration and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to review with a view to rescheduling the clash in date of the two examination bodies.
JAMB’s Unified Tertiarry Matriculation Examination (UTME) is scheduled to commence on April 11 while WAEC’s West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) which will also commence its examinations this month but with a clash in dates.
Some of the candidates writing the WASSCE have Animal Husbandry examination next Thursday, April 11, which is also part of the dates scheduled for UTME.
This, MURIC said, should be rescheduled to allow candidates writing both examinations to take part in both.
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) made this known in a press release signed by its Founder and Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, and made available to newsmen, in Lagos.
“We call on both WAEC and JAMB to quickly synergise. Some WAEC subjects will be taken on a day that a crucial JAMB paper will also be examined.
“For instance, WAEC students who are expected to write Animal Husbandry next week by 9:00am on Thursday, 11th April, 2019 are also being expected to sit for their JAMB paper on the same day and at the same time. This is impossible unless the candidates are miracle workers,” he said.
Akintola who commended the credibility of both examination bodies of conducting hitch free exams for the country stated that the clash in date might be a mistake but should be looked at critically.
“We are certain that all these occurred inadvertently. Both JAMB and WAEC are reliable examination bodies and we do not doubt them.
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“JAMB in particular has witnessed unparalleled reengineering under its quintessential and indefatigable Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede.
“Our appeal is that both examination bodies should go back to the drawing board and work it out together in the interest of these young and innocent candidates and their parents. There is no time to lose,” he said.
The MURIC boss reminded the heads of the examination bodies to put into consideration the future of the teeming youths this clash of date in the examinations would affect and make mends appropriately.
“The future of our young ones is very important to us regardless of their religious background. Any candidate who misses a JAMB paper will have to wait for a whole year before having another opportunity.
“With what is happening in the society nowadays, it is not advisable to allow these youths to remain idle for 12 good months. An idle hand is the devil’s workshop,” he said.
“Finally, MURIC commends the transparency and professionalism of the two examination bodies.
“We salute their staff for the sacrifices made annually. Our plea is for a review of the imminent clash in the crucial examinations before they are due next week,” he added.