Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo on Friday laid the foundation stone for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB’s) 500-seat Computer-Based Test (CBT) Centre in Benin.
The governor said at the event that centre would add to the state’s education industry.
He said that the state had been known for hosting Federal Government institutions and, thus, its decision to partner with JAMB to have the centre in the state.
“We saw it as our responsibility to our people and the Federal Government to have a South-South Zonal Office and a CBT Centre in the state and we had to do all within our means to get a land for the project,” he said.
The governor gave assurance of power supply to the centre and construction of access roads to the centre in 2018.
He commended the Federal Government for releasing funds for the project, and hailed JAMB for introducing CBT which, he said, had helped to reduce examination malpractice.
Responding, the Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, commended Obaseki for promptly securing a parcel of land for the centre.
Oloyede said that JAMB decided to have a CBT centre in Benin in view of the growing number of candidates sitting for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination in the state capital.
“Benin is the seventh in terms of JAMB examination enrolment and 22nd in terms of facilities available for candidates to sit for the examination.
“To solve the facilities need in the state, the Federal Government, is building this CBT Centre in the state,” he said.
The registrar gave assurance of more working ties with the governor who, he said, had much zeal to meet the education needs of Edo people.
Other dignitaries at the event include the Registrar of NABTEB, Prof. Ifeoma Isiugo-Abanihe; the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics) of the University of Benin, Prof, Pius Iribhogbe, and the state Commissioner for Education, Dr Christopher Adesotu.