The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called on the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to immediately review and adjust the examination schedule to ensure that no student is required to sit for the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) before 9am considering the current security situations in the country.
The student body accordingly issued a 72-hour ultimatum to JAMB to revise the UTME schedule and adopt a more student-friendly approach so as not to expose candidates to avoidable danger.
The students argued that the lives of many candidates were at risk when they had to travel long distances before 6am to meet up with early examination times.
This was contained in a statement jointly signed by the President of NANS, Comrade Olushola Oladoja, and the NANS National Public Relations Officer, Samson Adeyemi, on Sunday in Abuja.
The students described it as insensitive, given the prevailing security situation in the country, to fix examinations too early in the morning when some candidates have to travel long distances to their centres to meet the time for biometric verification and examination between 6am and 8am.
They called on the Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, to intervene and ensure that students are not placed in harm’s way due to poor planning.
The statement read in part, “NANS strongly condemns the insensitive scheduling of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, which has placed students in precarious situations by assigning examination times as early as 6 a.m.
“This decision, given the prevailing security challenges in the country, is both inconsiderate and dangerous.
“It is deeply troubling that students are expected to commute to examination centres in the early hours of the morning, often navigating unsafe routes and facing transportation difficulties.
“Reports indicate that some candidates have had to travel long distances, exposing them to unnecessary risks.
“The current security climate in Nigeria demands that authorities prioritise the safety and well-being of students rather than subjecting them to undue hardship.
“NANS calls on JAMB to immediately review and adjust the examination schedule to ensure that no student is required to sit for an exam before 9 a.m.
“We urge the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, to intervene and ensure that students are not placed in harm’s way due to poor planning.
“We hereby issue a 72-hour ultimatum to JAMB to revise the UTME schedule and adopt a more student-friendly approach.
“Failure to comply will leave NANS with no choice but to mobilise students nationwide for peaceful protests to demand immediate action.
“The welfare and security of Nigerian students must never be compromised.
“NANS remains committed to advocating for policies that protect students and ensure their academic pursuits are not hindered by avoidable challenges,” it stated.
