The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has commenced the conduct of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matrication Examination (UTME) nationwide with minor hitches in some examination centres.
According to JAMB, more than 2,030,627 candidates who successfully registered for the UTME would sit for the examination in over 784 Computer-Based Testing (CBT) centres by JAMB across all 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
A visit to some examination centres in FCT, revealed that while the exercise is overwhelmingly smooth and seamless, there were minor hitches at the start in some of the CBT centres, especially connection issues which were promptly fixed by the Technical Officers attached to the centres.
When Nigerian Tribune visited the examination centre at Zinaria International School Mararaba, Nasarawa State, the exercise was orderly and peaceful as candidates who arrived as early as 6.a.m for those scheduled for the 7 a.m. session were screened at the entrance gate the school.
Parents and relatives of candidates who accompanied them were also remarkably kept at bay and not allowed entry into the school promises by the combined efforts of the school’s internal security guards and the officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) who where deployed to the various centres in ensuring water-tight security across the country as part of the collaborative arrangement with JAMB.
The candidates were screened biometrically before allowed into the examination.
The Biometric Verification Registration Officer at the CBT Centre, Jamila Karimu, said biometric verification of candidates was seamless, adding that that out of 250 candidates that were expected to sit for the first session, 238 candidates who turned up were successfully screened while 12 candidates were absent.
An External Supervisor, Comfort Ochepo, affirmed the hitch-free conduct of the examination at the Centre. She disclosed that apart from 2-3 candidates who initially had issues with thumb printing became successful after several trials. “Everything is going on smoothly. We do no have any challenge in this centre,” she said.
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According to her the first session started as early as 8:10.a.m and that the second was expected to start at 1:30 p.m.
On the issue of security, she noted that apart from the school security agents, NSCDC officers were deployed to maintain law and order during the examination.
Also, the Resident Monitor, Ramat Ali, disclosed that there was initial connection issues but was prompt resolved and the examination went on seamlessly.
One of the candidate, Susan Arigu, who was brimming with smiles out of the examination hall commended JAMB for the orderly conduct of the examination.
She said there was no problem logging into the system and that the exercise was seamless.
Another Candidate, Joseph James, however, said he was sitting for UTME for the second time having sat for the examination last year was unable to secure admission to his choice University.
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