The Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Accesstech Innovation and Research Centre GTE Ltd., Mr Opeolu Stephen Akinola, has urged the new Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Segun Aina, to reintroduce computer-based testing (CBT) for blind candidates.
Akinola made the call in a statement issued in Lagos while congratulating Aina on his appointment as the new JAMB Registrar and Chief Executive.
He said Aina’s background in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) gives him an opportunity to use technology to make JAMB examinations more accessible to candidates living with visual impairment.
Akinola Wants CBT Restored for Blind Candidates
Akinola, who has more than 25 years of experience working with ICT and assistive technology to improve opportunities for visually impaired people in education and employment, said blind candidates should be given the same convenience available to sighted candidates during the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
He commended Aina’s five-year strategy to reduce the stress candidates face, saying the plan should also address the challenges experienced by candidates with disabilities.
According to Akinola, CBT would give blind candidates a more independent and convenient way of taking the UTME, particularly as more visually impaired students are becoming familiar with computers.
“I implore the new Registrar to resuscitate CBT for blind candidates as a priority part of his five-year strategy,” Akinola said.
He added, “I am willing to assist the examination body in providing the equipment and skills to achieve success in this.”
71% Pass Rate Recorded in 2015, 2016
Akinola, who described himself as one of Nigeria’s pioneer computer trainers for blind persons, said increased computer literacy among blind students had previously produced encouraging results.
He pointed to a 71 per cent pass rate recorded in the 2015 and 2016 UTME sittings, which he linked to the growing computer skills among visually impaired candidates.
He said the development showed that blind candidates could effectively use technology when given the right training, equipment and support.
Screen Readers, Braille Devices Can Help
Akinola, a Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC) and holder of a master’s degree in Disability Studies from the University of Leeds, said JAMB could make CBT more inclusive through the use of assistive technologies.
He identified screen readers, magnification software and refreshable Braille devices as some of the tools that could support blind candidates and people with low vision during examinations.
“These technologies can make testing equally accessible for blind candidates and people with low vision,” he said.
Akinola urged the new JAMB leadership to make accessibility a key part of its reform agenda, stressing that technology could help remove some of the barriers visually impaired candidates face when seeking admission into higher institutions.
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