JAMB: Students must not pay for system failures — Peter Obi

By Vincent Ujumadu

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Mr. Peter Obi, has called on the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, to urgently address the difficulties faced by candidates registering for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, warning that students must not be made to suffer because of administrative shortcomings.

Obi raised the concern after observing large crowds and confusion at JAMB’s office in Amawbia, Anambra State, noting that similar reports have emerged from other parts of the country.

The situation, he observed, appears linked to the proscription of several computer-based test centres over alleged infractions.

While acknowledging that authorities may have legitimate reasons to sanction erring centres, Obi urged the examination body to adopt a more balanced and humane approach.

He suggested that centres under investigation could be permitted to offer limited services under strict monitoring to prevent further violations.

He further recommended that, where the approval of new centres may take time, JAMB could temporarily utilise previously approved centres under close supervision to reduce the pressure on state offices.

“With the registration deadline approaching, many candidates – some travelling long distances and even spending nights away from home – risk missing the examination through no fault of their own.

“Students cannot be made to suffer the failings of a system to which we have all, in one way or another, contributed. Swift and compassionate intervention should be made to ensure that no young person’s academic future is jeopardised by avoidable administrative bottlenecks”, Obi said.