Date: 2019-11-15

Ahead of the 2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations, prospective candidates on Thursday thronged the National Identity Number registration centre in Omu-Aran, Kwara State, to obtain their numbers.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board had told candidates willing to partake in the 2020 UTME to obtain their NIN.

A correspondent of NAN reports that the students, especially those in SS3 and other UTME prospective external candidates, had arrived the centre in large number as early as 7.00 a.m. to be registered.

Some of the applicants, who spoke with NAN at the NIN centre inside Irepodun Local Government Secretariat in Omu-Aran, lauded the collaboration between JAMB and the National Identity Management Commission over the initiative.

They described the development as "using a stone to kill two birds".

Mr Ojekemi Benson, an SS3 Student of Ogbo Grammar School, Omu-Aran and a UTME candidate, described the registration process as very smooth and stress-free.

Benson also expressed satisfaction with JAMB's requirement for National Identity Number for the 2020 UTME examinations, saying such a gesture would promote national growth and development.

Miss Rebecca Adelodun, a prospective UTME external candidate, called for the establishment of more registration centres to accommodate the high number of applicants.

Mr Tope Jimoh, the NIMC Supervisor in Irepodun Local Government Area of the state, told NAN that the centre had envisaged the high number of applicants and had made adequate arrangements in that regard.

"We had envisaged the upsurge in the number of applicants based on the new development and we are very much on top of the situation," Jimoh said.

The Spokesman for JAMB, Dr Fabian Benjamin, had in a statement in September noted that National Identity Card requirement would help check examination malpractices.

"Candidates are enjoined to register as the board will no longer be responsible for the capturing of candidates' biometrics ahead of the examination, as all information required will be uploaded from the data captured by the NIMC.

"Henceforth, the NIN will be compulsory for the UTME registration," Benjamin said. (NAN)