The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), Dr. Mohammed Aminu Mohammed, has urged the Zamfara State government to relocate examination candidates from high-risk rural areas to urban centers for their safety, following the model implemented in Kaduna State.
Speaking after monitoring ongoing examinations at Government Technical College (GTC) Malali in Kaduna, Dr. Mohammed praised Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, for providing security support that enabled candidates from crisis-prone areas to participate in the current NABTEB examinations.
Increased Participation in NABTEB Examinations
The Registrar revealed that over 89,000 candidates are sitting for NABTEB examinations nationwide this year, a significant increase from the 60,000 recorded in 2024. The examinations, which began on June 16, will continue until July 14, 2025.
"This is a national examination like any other. We are monitoring compliance and standards closely," Dr. Mohammed stated. He emphasized that NABTEB's examinations are on par with those conducted by WAEC, NECO, and NBAIS, encouraging all schools to take advantage of their standard assessments.
Kaduna's Proactive Security Measures
Dr. Mohammed specifically commended Governor Sani for taking proactive steps to relocate candidates from Kajuru Local Government Area—a known flashpoint of insecurity—to safer examination centers in Kaduna city without any formal request from NABTEB.
"Without any prompting, the governor ensured all candidates from Kajuru were safely moved to write their exams here in Kaduna city. It's a commendable effort and an example worthy of emulation by other states," he said.
Infrastructure Challenges
Despite praising the conduct of examinations at the Kaduna center as credible and orderly, the NABTEB boss expressed concern over poor infrastructure at the Malali center. He observed some students writing their papers while standing or squatting due to insufficient seating.
"It is worrisome to see students writing exams in such conditions. This kind of situation creates room for malpractice," Dr. Mohammed noted. He added that he had initiated discussions with the Principal to address these issues, expressing optimism that significant improvements would be visible by next year.
Mr. Auta Monday, Principal of Government Technical College, Malali, confirmed that 169 candidates were registered at the center this year. He acknowledged the infrastructure challenges but maintained that the examinations were proceeding smoothly with materials arriving on time.
The Principal described the Registrar's visit as a "blessing" that provided valuable guidance on innovation and development, including advice to establish a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) center and upgrade their computer facilities for future computer-based testing.
As security challenges continue to affect education in northern Nigeria, NABTEB's call for Zamfara to adopt Kaduna's relocation model represents an important step toward ensuring all students can safely participate in national examinations regardless of security concerns in their home regions.
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