Addressing concerns over the safety of students who are asked to arrive early for examinations, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has defended its decision to maintain the 6:30 a.m. arrival time, saying it is necessary to ensure smooth verification before the exams start.
JAMB explained that while the examination itself is scheduled to start at 8:00 am, candidates are required to arrive by 6:30 am to complete verification and other clearance processes in good time.
The council’s clarity comes in response to former presidential candidate Peter Obi, who had recently raised concerns over the safety risks associated with the early arrival time, questioning the necessity of students being at the centres so early in the morning.
Obi had questioned the examination council’s decision to have students, particularly those between the ages of 15 and 17, travel in the dark, describing it as reckless and dangerous, especially given the rising insecurity.
According to him, “I came across multiple reports of students being asked to attend a public examination by 6:30 AM, teenagers, mostly around 15-17 years old, forced to travel in the dark, even in the face of insecurity, across dangerous and unfamiliar locations, because they want to get the basic right of education and sit for JAMB examinations. Setting exams for vulnerable teenagers as early as 6:00 AM while transporting them across far-flung locations is reckless.”
JAMB, however, insisted that the early reporting time is necessary to allow candidates to complete verification and other pre-examination procedures without rushing, and to ensure that the exams start promptly at the scheduled time.
Replying to the former Anambra governor, it said, “Your Excellency, I must assert that our examination is scheduled to commence at 8:00am, not 6:00 am. While verification and other clearance processes begins at 6:30 am, it is imperative that candidates are afforded adequate time to settle in before the exam begins.
“Given the tendencies often observed among Nigerians to arrive late when a start time is set without space for eventuality, this structured timeline is essential to ensure that all candidates are properly prepared and can perform to the best of their abilities.
Nigerians have voiced concerns over the early reporting time, citing reports of teenagers being forced to lodge in hotels to meet the exam schedule, as well as incidents of missing persons while on their way to write the exams.
On the 25th of April, a 17-year-old JAMB candidate, identified only as Esther, was reported missing by her brother while traveling from Ajah to Epe for her examination.
Esther was later found in Ijebu after an extensive search, but the ordeal caused her to miss the exam that could have secured her university admission.
This case, along with other similar incidents, has sparked a call from citizens for students to be assigned to nearby exam centres in order to reduce the risks of kidnapping, accidents, and other safety concerns.
