Unemployed grads develop e-UTME software

Candidates who have chosen the Computer-Based Test (CBT) option for the 2013 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) can prepare better with a new software which its creators have promised would improve their computer skills and test their knowledge.

The developers, four unemployed graduates, said Avalanche UTME has the capacity to test the candidate’s ability for the UTME and post -UTME in a simulated environment.

They are: Samson Olaniyi (Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso), Kolawole Fajobi (Federal College of Agriculture, Ibadan), and Ayoola Falola and Tolulope Ogundiji (both of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA. Speaking at the launch of the software, Olaniyi, who is the Head of Operations for the quartet, said they developed the software under a company they registered, Avalanche Nigeria, to assist prospective candidates get prepared in a simulated environment that mimics the actual examination hall.

Olaniyi said a lot of candidates fail woefully when faced with a computer asking them questions although they may be brilliant. “If such applicants are not groomed on the basic usage and function of computers, hundreds of thousands of them, especially those in the rural areas, will fail and may never see the inside of a tertiary educational institution,” he said.

Explaining features of the software, Fajobi said the new product comes in two forms-Student Version and Enterprise Version.

He said: “The Student Version is for home or individual use while the Enterprise Version is to be used by schools and business centres for large number of pupils at the same time and you don’t need internet connection to use them.

“The Enterprise Version will enable schools and computer centres create an examination environment for applicants who come for the simulated test. Applicants will buy a pass or pin code. Once they enter the password they will be asked for their subject combination and later questions will come out.

“After three hours and 15 minutes which is the standard time for UTME examination conducted by JAMB, the computer will stop displaying the questions and results and total marks scored by the applicants will be displayed in three seconds.”

On his part, Ayoola said that the e-examination software was the first product of the group.

Also speaking, Ogundiji said the group wants the public to know that it had come out with an effective solution to preparing for e-examination, especially the UTME and post-UTME, and appealed to schools, cyber cafe and prospective dealers to try the product.