Computer-based examinations discriminatory, anti rural people -- Lecturer

A University don, Dr James Bature, said on Wednesday that it was discriminatory to subject candidates in rural areas to computer-based tests for admission into tertiary institutions in the country.

Bature, a lecturer at the University of Jos, made the observation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna.

He said that the computer-based evaluation was not in tune with the realities in the country and would place candidates in rural areas at a very high risk due to their disadvantage.

The lecturer stressed that the method did not also take into account the level of poverty and dirge of modern communication facilities in rural areas.

Bature believed that the test was introduced by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to scheme out the rural populace from accessing tertiary education.

According to him, the development will further push the already disadvantaged rural populace to loose interest in education.

"These students tried so hard to get the required number of credits for admission into tertiary institutions, and they are now compelled to write JAMB and post-UTME using computer.

"Most of these children never saw a computer throughout their primary and secondary school education, but they are now subjected to compete with other children that use computers as toys.

He said that, if nothing was done to remedy the situation, the disadvantaged population would remain poor due to their inability develop themselves by furthering their education.

Bature, therefore, advocated the adoption of diverse approach to admission process to accommodate the rural people.

"If we really meant to carry everybody along, then the government must incorporate local circumstances to admission process.

“Otherwise, some people will be completely excluded from the having access to tertiary education,'' he said.

The done also pointed out that the high cost of processing admission in Nigeria would discourage the poor from access to tertiary education.

"What is the point when students buy recharge card to register for JAMB, buy recharge card to check results, buy recharge card to register for post UMTE.

"Government must intervene in the admission process, by making it less expensive, less cumbersome and less sophisticated,” he added.