…Candidates express satisfaction

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination for 206,610 candidates in Lagos and 173,387 in the South East commenced on Friday with candidates across the two zones expressing satisfaction with the exercise.

Lagos has resit exams in 65 centres while 93 are in the South East.

In all the centres visited by Saturday Tribune in Lagos, candidates and officials reported early while accreditation for the first session was held between 6.30am and 7.30am.

At the CBT centre in Ayobo, Lagos, 218 candidates showed up with 32 absent for the morning.

Imo State
In Imo State, the examination, which held across the three senatorial zones—Orlu, Okigwe and Owerri—was conducted in four batches.

According to the schedule provided by JAMB officials, the examination began at 6am and concluded by 4pm.

At the Mater Ecclesiae Seminary, Nguru, in Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area, one of the monitored centres, our correspondent observed that the process started promptly.

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The first batch began their session at 6am, followed by the second at 9am, while the third and fourth batches followed accordingly.

However, some candidates experienced technical issues during the examination. Complaints ranged from computer malfunctions to system shutdowns and freezing screens.

Some candidates also reported problems with input devices such as malfunctioning mice and keyboards, which caused confusion and delays before being resolved by the examination officials.

At other centres such as Switch, the JAMB Professional Test Centre in Area H, Owerri, and Galaxy ICT and Educational Services in Umueze, Mbaitolu Local Government Area, similar technical difficulties were reported.

A candidate at Galaxy ICT centre lamented that due to system glitches, they were left with only about 20 minutes to complete the Mathematics paper, one of the core UTME subjects.

Despite the challenges, JAMB officials ensured that the examination proceeded as scheduled, and efforts were made to address the technical issues promptly.

Anambra State
Candidates repeating the examination in Anambra State expressed confidence in achieving their desired scores in the ongoing exams.

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They cited the recent apology tendered to Nigerians by the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, as a reassurance that their concerns are being addressed, and they strongly believe they will attain the scores they aim for.

At the IDK and Grafile examination centres in Awka, our correspondent observed that the exams proceeded peacefully, with candidates conducting themselves orderly. Security personnel were present throughout the exercise to maintain order.

Mrs. Esther Ugochukwu, a trader and parent of one of the candidates, shared her opinion on the matter, placing blame on the federal government for insufficient investment in education.

She argued that Prof. Oloyede should not be solely held responsible for the situation, describing the incident as evidence that the current administration of President Bola Tinubu lacks genuine interest in the country’s education system.

“How can a resource-rich country like Nigeria experience this kind of public embarrassment despite advances in technology?” she questioned.

Mrs. Ugochukwu called on the federal government to recruit more personnel to prevent future occurrences.

Saturday Tribune can also report that similar peaceful and conducive examination environments were witnessed across centres in Enugu State.

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The UTME is scheduled to conclude today.

Abia State
Candidates in Abia State expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the rescheduled examination, describing it as smoother and better organised than the previous one.

Chioma Marvelous Nnamdi, one of the candidates who sat for the examination at a centre in Umudike, said the process went smoothly, with no technical issues.

“This time, the questions were simpler and easier to answer. It was better than what we experienced during the initial exam. I hope to do well this time,” she said.

She also appreciated JAMB for correcting the errors that marred the previous examination.

“There were many complaints about inconsistent and confusing answer options last time. I thank God and JAMB for acknowledging the issues and making efforts to fix them.”

READ ALSO:JAMB Postpones 2025 UTME Registration

Another candidate, Chinonso Ezekiel, also commended the improvements, noting that several candidates in the previous exam encountered incomplete questions, malfunctioning systems, and insufficient time.

“This time, things were more organised. Faulty computers were replaced promptly, and the questions were more straightforward than before,” he said.

Reports from across the state confirmed similar positive experiences, with many candidates describing the rescheduled test as more comfortable and well-managed.

A staff member at the E-Test Centre located at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, who spoke on condition of anonymity, explained that the initial technical failures were not the fault of the centre but of JAMB.

He added that the centre made extra efforts this time to ensure a hitch-free examination.

(Tribune)