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 Mater Ecclesiae Seminary in Nguru, Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area, the UTME resit commenced promptly, according to observations from one of the monitored centres.

The first session began at 6 a.m., followed by subsequent batches at 9 a.m., with the third and fourth groups continuing in sequence. However, several candidates encountered technical issues during the exam, including computer malfunctions, system shutdowns, and frozen screens.

There were also complaints about faulty input devices such as unresponsive mice and keyboards, which caused confusion and delays. Examination officials intervened to resolve these problems and ensure the exams could proceed.

Similar technical hitches were reported at other centres, including the JAMB Professional Test Centre (Switch) in Area H, Owerri, and Galaxy ICT and Educational Services in Umueze, Mbaitolu Local Government Area. At the Galaxy ICT centre, one candidate noted that due to system glitches, they had only about 20 minutes left to complete the Mathematics paper, a core UTME subject.

Despite these setbacks, JAMB officials worked to address the issues quickly and ensured the exam schedules were maintained.

Anambra State
In Anambra, candidates retaking the exam expressed optimism about achieving their desired results. Many referenced the recent apology by JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, as a sign that their grievances were being acknowledged and addressed.

At IDK and Grafile centres in Awka, the exams were reported to have proceeded smoothly and in an orderly fashion. Security personnel were present to maintain order throughout the process.

Mrs. Esther Ugochukwu, a trader and parent, criticized the federal government for underfunding the education sector. She emphasized that the burden of responsibility should not rest solely on Prof. Oloyede and described the situation as a reflection of the Tinubu administration’s lack of commitment to improving education.

“How can a country as resource-rich as Nigeria face such public embarrassment in an era of advanced technology?” she asked, calling on the government to invest more in educational infrastructure and recruit adequate personnel to prevent similar issues in the future.

Essential News also observed that examination centres across Enugu State offered similarly peaceful and conducive environments for candidates. The UTME is scheduled to conclude today.

Abia State
In Abia, candidates expressed satisfaction with the smooth conduct of the rescheduled UTME, describing it as more organised and technically reliable compared to the earlier round.

Chioma Marvelous Nnamdi, who wrote the exam at a centre in Umudike, noted that the process was seamless and free of technical glitches.
“This time, the questions were simpler and easier to answer. It was a better experience than the first exam. I’m hopeful about my performance,” she said.

She also commended JAMB for addressing the issues that affected the previous exam.
“There were so many complaints then about confusing answer options. I’m grateful that JAMB acknowledged the problems and took steps to correct them.”

Another candidate, Chinonso Ezekiel, echoed her sentiments, stating that in the earlier exam, many faced incomplete questions, malfunctioning systems, and poor time management.
“This time, everything was better coordinated. Faulty systems were promptly replaced, and the questions were clearer,” he said.

Reports from other parts of the state mirrored these accounts, with many test-takers describing the resit as smoother and more efficiently run.

A staff member at the E-Test Centre in Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, who spoke anonymously, clarified that the technical issues in the earlier exam were due to faults on JAMB’s end, not the centre’s.
He added that the centre took additional measures this time to ensure a seamless experience for all candidates.