JAMB Urges FG to Support Establishment of Special Examination Centres
Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti
The federal government has been advised to support the efforts of individuals who venture into the establishment of private examination centres for the physically-challenged in the country.
An official of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Rasheed Aderinoye, canvassed this in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, during the conduct of JAMB examination for blind candidates who chose Ekiti State University Ado-Ekiti as their centre.
Prof. Aderinoye said out of 336 physically-challenged candidates who were writing the examination across Nigeria, 28 candidates were writing in Ekiti State, adding that their hotel accommodation, transportation, feeding and writing materials were bankrolled by JAMB because they are special candidates.
He stressed the need for the federal government to support those who set up such private examination centres by empowering them, urging the government to equally pool resources to establish its own centres so that more special people can enjoy such opportunity.
The JAMB chief appreciated the wife of the Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji, whose presence he described as a morale booster for those that were yet to buy into the programme, and “even for parents that are not educated to enable them to know that there is a programme of such, an opportunity and hope for them.”
The first lady said she liked to associate herself with the physically-challenged as an educationist, reaffirming her commitment to undertakings that would improve education, which according to her, is her constituency.
“As a society, we have the responsibility to ensure that every child has access to quality education regardless of his/her physical and mental disabilities, and essentially the socioeconomic and political backgrounds.”
She remarked that the efforts of JAMB have contributed immensely to the promotion of diversity, tolerance, acceptance and understanding among the physically-challenged in the society.
According to Mrs. Oyebanji, “Education is the fundamental human rights that every child is entitled to. We should provide education opportunity for all children irrespective of their condition.”
Also, the Vice Chancellor, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Professor Edward Olanipekun, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, Prof. James Ayodele, explained that it behooves on the university to ensure that education moves forward in Ekiti State.
He appreciated the Ekiti State Government for its support for the university, adding that the management of the institution will continue to support the administration because of its commitment to education.
