KEY POINTS
- Peter Obi urges JAMB to resolve UTME registration delays.
- Candidates face congestion after closure of some CBT centres.
- Obi proposes temporary measures to ease registration pressure.
Peter Obi has urged the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board to urgently resolve registration challenges confronting candidates for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, saying administrative disruptions should not derail students’ academic plans.
The Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate raised concerns after observing congestion and confusion at JAMB’s office in Amawbia, Anambra State. He said similar reports had emerged from other parts of the country as candidates scramble to complete registration before the deadline.
Peter Obi Flags UTME Registration Delays
Obi linked the pressure partly to the recent proscription of several computer-based test centres over alleged infractions, a move that has reduced available registration points.
While acknowledging that JAMB may have legitimate grounds to sanction erring centres, Obi called for what he described as a balanced and humane response to ease the strain on candidates.
“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,” he said.
Obi warned that administrative shortcomings could jeopardise students’ futures if not addressed promptly.
JAMB Urged to Adopt Temporary Measures
The former Anambra governor suggested that regulators allow centres under investigation to provide limited services under strict monitoring to prevent further violations.
He also proposed that authorities temporarily reactivate previously approved centres under close supervision where new approvals may take time, in order to ease congestion at state offices.
“Students cannot suffer for the failings of a system to which we have all, in one way or another, contributed,” Obi said, urging authorities to intervene swiftly to prevent avoidable disruptions.
JAMB has not publicly responded to the concerns. The registration window for the UTME typically draws heavy traffic each year, with candidates relying on accredited centres to complete biometric capture and data submission.
