Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has laid the foundation of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Computer-Based Test Centre (CBT) in Benin City.

During the ceremony, which took place on Friday, the Governor said the 500-seating capacityJAMB centrewould complement the effort of the state government in repositioning the education sector in the state.

“The state government took the responsibility to provide the site for the project to enable our people have easy access to CBT Centre within the state, we did all within our resources to get the land for the project,” he added.

Obaseki assured JAMB that the state government would provide the centre with electricity and construct access roads to the centre, adding, “the provision of power supply and construction of access road to the centre will be captured in the state's 2018 budget.”

He commended the Federal Government for its commitment to the release of funds for the project and for the introduction of CBT for JAMB examinations, which he said would help check examination malpractices.

The Governor appealed for the reopening of the University Matriculation Examination centre in Uromi, as the state government was investigating the issue which led to its closure and would ensure that the findings of the investigations are implemented.

The Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede commended the Governor for his prompt action in securing the land for the project and the partnership with JAMB towards completing the project.

Prof. Oloyede said the siting of the zonal CBT centre in the state was as a result of the fact that the state records more candidates for the examinations, adding “the centre would give prospective JAMB candidates in the state easy access to CBT centre. The state was ranked seventh in enrollment for JAMB examination and ranked 22nd in availability of facilities for candidates writing the examinations.”

The JAMB Registrar added that the CBT centre would address the challenge of facilities in the state, as the Board has an arrangement with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to build the South-South Zonal CBT Centre in the state.

Other dignitaries at the event included the Registrar of the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), Prof. Ifeoma Isiugo-Abanihe; Deputy Vice Chancellor Academics of the University of Benin, Prof. Pius Iribhogbe; and the state Commissioner for Education, Dr. Christopher Adesotu.

•Photo showsGovernor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State (2nd from left), Registrar of the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), Prof. Ifeoma Isiugo-Abanihe (left), Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede (right), during the Foundation Laying Ceremony of a Computer-Based Test (CBT) Centre, in Benin City, on Friday, November 3, 2017.