JAMB responds to Peter Obi’s criticism over early exam schedule

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has responded to criticisms from Peter Obi, the former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, over the early resumption time for its Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

Obi, in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, raised concerns about the requirement for candidates, mostly teenagers, to arrive at examination centres as early as 6:30 am, citing security risks. He described the arrangement as “reckless,” referencing reports of accidents and missing candidates, and blamed it on what he called Nigeria’s poor investment in education.

He wrote: “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 its response, JAMB clarified that while candidates are asked to arrive by 6:30 am for verification and clearance, the examination itself officially begins at 8:00 am.

The board explained that the early arrival was necessary to prevent delays and ensure the smooth running of the examination.

In a statement issued on its official X account, JAMB said: “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.”

The statement further noted: “Given the tendencies often observed among Nigerians to arrive late when a start time is set without space for eventualities, this structured timeline is essential to ensure that all candidates are properly prepared and can perform to the best of their abilities.”

Earlier, some parents had also raised concerns about the early resumption time, particularly highlighting the risks it poses to candidates’ safety and well-being.