•JAMB Registrar Prof Is-haq Oloyede
Concerns over increasing insecurity in various parts of the country have prompted parents and stakeholders in the education sector to urge the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to reconsider the early morning schedule for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
They are advocating the exam to start at 9a.m. instead of the traditional 6:30a.m or 7a.m. to better protect candidates and allow examination centres ample time to prepare, reports Daily Independent.
The main UTME is set to take place across the nation starting Friday, April 25, 2025.
It is worth noting that the results of the 2025 Mock UTME, released by the board on Sunday, indicated that out of 200,113 registered candidates, 73,844 were absent on the exam day due to reasons associated with timing and safety.
In an interview with our correspondent, Mr. Adekunle Alli, a guardian, whose ward could not attend the exam, criticised the early start time of 6:30a.m. as being too early for comfort, especially for 16-year-olds.
He stated, “It is quite illogical for JAMB to schedule an exam at 6:30a.m to 7:00a.m. without considering the conditions and distances where candidates reside.
Some parents feel compelled to book their children into nearby hotels, exposing them to potential risks and the discomfort of those accommodations.”
He expressed concern that under such circumstances, candidates who had to stay away from home would not be able to perform at their best during the early morning exam, adding, “It doesn’t make sense.”
Mr. Alli urged JAMB to reconsider the early timing, especially in light of reports that hotels have become unsafe due to rising crime, with lodgers falling victim to violent incidents.
“How many of these hotels are safe during this period of increasing insecurity? JAMB needs to ensure the timing is considerate and conducive for candidates.
The recent results showed a worrying number of absentees.”
He also criticised the insufficient preparations at some JAMB examination centres, citing that many candidates scheduled for the 7a.m. Mock UTME at Caleb University did not begin testing until 5p.m. due to internet connectivity issues.
Another parent, Mrs. Irene Madueke, a resident of Okokomaiko, expressed her unwillingness to risk her child’s safety for the sake of university admission. She condemned the practice of candidates travelling at night or during dangerous hours to meet exam schedules.
Mrs. Madueke urged JAMB to assign candidates to computer-based testing (CBT) centres closer to their homes and to ensure that all designated centres operate efficiently to prevent disappointment and frustration for both candidates and parents.
Recall that the board acknowledged the delays some candidates faced during the Mock UTME and expressed regret for any inconvenience caused.
The board attributed these challenges to newly implemented features designed to improve the overall conduct of the main UTME.
