*Call For Urgent Action To Secure Centres, Attend To Needs Of Candidates
As the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, (JAMB) continues to battle alleged unethical practices by some candidates as well as failure of some Computer Based Testing (CBT) Centres to meet the required standards for the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) examination, some stakeholders have blamed the board for the seemingly lack of due diligence and scrutiny in the selection process.
Metrobusinessnews.com (MBN) checks have revealed that the alleged laxity or compromise have brought about untold hardships on some candidates that sat for the examination on Thursday.
Consequently, the four-paper computer based exam, which are supposed to last for maximum of two hours, did not follow the approved timing as some candidates were forced to use one hour, instead, for the four papers.
For instance, in a centre with C58904, at Mowe/Ibafo/Alagbole-Akute in Ogun state, with examination centre name as , The Eagle Hand Nigeria Limited, No 3, Ikungbonmire street, Loburo, off Mowe, Ofada Road, Behind Except God School, Mowe, Ogun state, the candidates were on Thursday subjected to both physical and mental torture as some of them spent three hours, between12.00pm to 3:00pm, ‘preparing’ for the examination.
It was either the tables did not have computers, faulty or bad network as the students were battling with starting the computers.
At the end, some students were relocated to different tables, outside their registration numbers, a situation that further compounded their predicament.
Narrating his ordeal, one of the affected students said, “we were made to enter the hall at 12:00pm for the 2:00pm exam. But personally, I did not start until about 3:pm. Following my number, I got to the table without a computer. I complained and I was told to be patient that I will be attended to and the issues would be sorted out. After anxiously waiting for about two hours, I was later taken to another table. This time, the issue was with starting the system as network issue crept in. Tou can imagine starting an examination one had been preparing for, under such a tensed atmosphere and condition, coupled with unfriendly attitude of the supervisors, who insisted on submitting our papers at about 4pm, when they knew that some of us started barely an hour to the 4pm regulated time.”
“After spending many weeks and months preparing for this examination, it’s unfortunate that frustration would set in at the point of writing the exam. I used almost an hour for the four subjects, and eventhough, I finished, I did not have time to go over the questions and answers again to do the final corrections. Very unfortunate,” lamented another student.
Confirming the development, JAMB), on Thursday delisted four CBT Centres and arrested 27 impersonators.
This was contained in a statement issued to newsmen in Abuja on Friday by the Board’s Spokesperson, Dr Fabian Benjamin.
Benjamin explained that the CBT centres were delisted for failing to meet the stringent technical standards required for the ongoing UTME.
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Benjamin said the delisted centres included, Adventure Associate, located behind Sheshe Supermarket off Hadejia Road, Kano, Kano State, and Saadatu Rimi College of Education, Zaria Road, Naibawa, Kano, Kano State.
Also delisted are Penta M & F Technical Services Ltd., Centre 2, 96km Sokoto-Jega Road, Tambuwal, and Penta M & F Technical Services Ltd., Centre 1, 96km Sokoto-Jega Road, Tambuwal.
“While JAMB commends the 883 centres that have demonstrated exceptional performance, it unequivocally warns that any centre failing to meet ethical or technical standards, regardless of ownership, will be blacklisted,” he stated.
Benjamin urged candidates who were previously scheduled to take their exams at the delisted centres to urgently reprint their examination notification slips to access their new centres and rescheduled dates.
“We regret any inconvenience this may cause, but we will not tolerate excuses from candidates who fail to reprint their slips.
“As of Friday, April 25, 2025, more than 900,000 candidates had successfully completed the UTME, out of the 2,083,600 registered for the 2025 examinatio,” he added.
The JAMB spokesman said the arrested 27 impersonators were handed over to the Nigeria Police for immediate prosecution.
Friday Ameh, Lagos based analyst said, “understandably, JAMB, has been doing well, but for some lapses, in this examination, from, sudden shift of date from 25th to 24th, and failure of some.centtes, the board should take responsibility. What’s the sense in delisting approved centres, after the first exams? That shows something must be wrong with the selection processes. Were the centres not inspected, approved on certain criteria,?. Something must be wrong somewhere. ”
Abubakar Sadiq, another stakeholder in Lagos said, ” I find reasons adduced by JAMB for delisting the centres curious. The examination board spokesman said, the centres were delisted for failing to meet the stringent and technical standards required for the ongoing UTME. To me, that’s an admittance of failure, because, if the board, as the supervisor, admits that the standards were technical and stringent, to what extent were the personnel at the centres taught to master them. And if they were actually taught, why the high rate of non compliance?”
A retired principal, who pleaded for anonymity said, JAMB may have unwittingly given the centres opportunity to perpetuate and conceal their shortcomings, considering the fact that most of the centres were acting on their own without either JAMB officials or security personnel.
According to him, the intimidated and anxious candidates were only concerned about sitting for the exam at all cost.
“With so many centres across the nation, JAMB should as a matter of urgency deploy independent observers and possibly security agencies to to be present to possible unforseen ugly situations, because shoukd the glitches and lapses continue, others may resort to self-help as observed in some centres.
For instance, some angry candidates of JAMB on Friday destroyed chairs and other properties at an examination centre in Ibadan, Oyo State after an alleged technical difficulties that delayed their Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The incident occurred at a JAMB CBT centre located at Abimbola Excel School, Elesin, Amuloko area, Akanran road, Ona Ara LGA, Ibadan, Oyo state.
In a video obtained by IntelRegion, the frustrated candidates were seen destroying plastic chairs inside the examination center in protest of their inability to take their scheduled exams.
Security personnel eventually intervened to restore order, though no arrests were reported.
This is not the first time technical glitches would be experienced during the course of conducting the UTME.
Many students lamented glitches they encountered while writing the UTME in 2024, however, their exams was rescheduled.
