The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has issued a response to former Labour Party Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, who criticized the early timing of its Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Obi, in a post on X, expressed concern over the early arrival times for candidates, most of whom are teenagers, at examination centers.
He stressed the risks posed by the 6:30 am arrival time, suggesting that it exposed vulnerable students to accidents and other dangers.
Obi called the early schedule “reckless” and drew attention to incidents involving students who had been involved in accidents, gone missing, or experienced other forms of distress.
According to him, the situation reflected a systemic failure in Nigeria’s education sector, specifically the lack of investment in the country’s educational infrastructure.
In his post, Obi argued, “Setting exams for vulnerable teenagers as early as 6:00 AM while transporting them across far-flung locations is reckless. Already, reports are emerging of students getting into accidents and losing their young lives, some going missing, and many more being subjected to unnecessary trauma. Who takes responsibility when a 15- or 16-year-old child disappears or is harmed while trying to access their right to education?”
In response to Obi’s concerns, JAMB clarified that while candidates are indeed expected to arrive by 6:30 am for verification and clearance, the actual examination begins at 8:00 am. The board explained that the early arrival time is intended to accommodate necessary verification procedures and ensure that the exam proceeds smoothly without disruptions.
A statement from JAMB on its official X account read, “Your Excellency, I must assert that our examination is scheduled to commence at 8:00 am, not 6:00 am. While verification and other clearance processes begin at 6:30 am, it is imperative that candidates are afforded adequate time to settle in before the exam begins.”
JAMB further elaborated that the practice of early arrival is aimed at preventing candidates from arriving late, which could cause delays and potentially disrupt the examination process. “Given the tendencies often observed among Nigerians to arrive late when a start time is set without space for eventuality, this structured timeline is essential to ensure that all candidates are properly prepared and can perform to the best of their abilities,” JAMB stated.
Concerns over the early arrival time have been voiced by some parents as well, particularly those with children attending examination centers located far from their homes. They argue that the timing exposes students to unnecessary risks, including long-distance travel in the early hours of the morning.
Peter Obi, in his initial post, also stressed the need for greater investment in Nigeria’s education sector, noting that the country’s Gross Enrollment Ratio is far below global standards.
He compared Nigeria’s educational infrastructure unfavorably to that of Indonesia, suggesting that increasing the number of universities and examination centers would improve both safety and accessibility for students.
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