In adherence to its commitment to inclusivity, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has opted to remove diagrams, illustrations, and maps from test items specifically designated for candidates with disabilities in the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Professor Is-haq Oloyede, the Registrar, conveyed this decision during a virtual meeting with the nation’s Commissioners of Education held in Abuja.
The Registrar underscored the Board’s intent to eliminate diagrams, illustrations, and maps from questions tailored for blind candidates during the 2024 UTME. These modified questions will be calibrated to maintain an equivalent difficulty level to other test items. Furthermore, the Registrar briefed the participants on concerns raised regarding the insufficient attention given to challenges faced by candidates with disabilities, extending beyond blindness and deafness, in both the registration and conduct of the UTME.
To address these concerns, special provisions will be put in place to ensure that candidates with disabilities, regardless of their specific circumstances, do not encounter any disadvantages. The Registrar emphasized that these measures align with the resolutions established at the recently concluded conference, titled “National Conference on Equal Opportunity of Access to Higher Education in Nigeria,” organized by the JAMB-Equal Opportunity Group (JEOG).
The Registrar specified that the JEOG has been actively overseeing matters related to candidates with disabilities for the Board. He also announced the incorporation of specific categories of candidates—namely, those with Down Syndrome, Autism, Dyslexia, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)—under the disability group officially recognized by the Board.