The Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has expressed concerns over difficulties being faced by candidates registering for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination in Amawbia, Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State, ahead of the Thursday February 26 deadline for the registration exercise
Obi in a statement shared via his X handle on Monday, lamented the hardship being experienced by students at the Amawbia office of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, describing the situation as a repeat of last year’s challenges.
The former governor of Anambra State decried the inability of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board JAMB, to find a lasting solution to the issue of registration as raised by candidates since last year
“Last year, concerns were raised about the hardship students faced at various centres across the country, particularly at the Amawbia, Anambra State, office of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, following the proscription of several CBT centres over alleged infractions.
“The expectation was that corrective measures would follow. Sadly, as I passed there again last Friday, I met the same crowd and confusion. Upon further inquiry, I was informed that similar situations exist in some other states across Nigeria,” he said.
He noted that while authorities may have valid reasons for sanctioning Computer-Based Test centres, a more balanced approach should be considered to prevent students from bearing the consequences.
"While authorities may have valid reasons for sanctioning centres, a more balanced and humane approach is possible. Centres under investigation could be allowed to continue offering limited services under strict monitoring to prevent further lapses".
"If it is difficult to approve new centres quickly, the authorities could still make temporary use of previously approved centres under close supervision to ease the pressure on state offices,” he stated.
With registration ending on the 26th, the consequences are serious. Many candidates travel from distant villages, some even sleeping in Awka to secure access.
“If nothing urgent is done, some will miss the examination — not for lack of preparation, but because the system failed them,” Obi decried
He added that students should not suffer for systemic shortcomings.
Obi’s statement comes amid reports of registration challenges nationwide for the 2026 UTME, even as JAMB said over a million candidates have already signed up
It will be recalled that the board had previously advised early applications and warned against technical pitfalls like biometric issues and late deadlines.
No comments:
Post a Comment