JAMB, the agency responsible for organizing Nigeria’s university entrance examination, reportedly spent 500 billion naira on the just concluded 2025 UTME. With such a staggering figure, expectations were high for a smooth, student-friendly, and technologically sound process. Instead, what unfolded was a nationwide crisis marked by confusion, exhaustion, emotional breakdowns, and unsafe conditions.
This article will explore how JAMB’s mismanagement turned what should have been a seamless process into a nightmare for Nigerian students. It will examine the scheduling disaster, the institutional silence, the student response through NANS, and ultimately offer real recommendations for transforming this broken system.
JAMB’s Budget and the Brutal Reality of Poor Planning
Despite the size of the budget, the UTME quickly descended into chaos. Stories poured in from every region of students being scheduled for exams as early as 6:30 a.m. or as late as 7:00 p.m. Many of these candidates, some as young as fifteen, were forced to leave their homes in the dark, vulnerable to Nigeria’s worsening insecurity. Others arrived at centers late due to long travel times or lack of transport support, only to be turned away or rescheduled without explanation.
Across the country, students fainted from stress and exhaustion. Some cried outside locked gates. Parents paced nervously outside centers, angry and helpless. The situation revealed a serious disconnect between JAMB’s operational decisions and the lived realities of those they are meant to serve. With a budget of 500 billion, it is hard to justify why exam logistics were handled in such a careless, outdated manner. Technology was promised, but empathy was not delivered.
JAMB and the Silence that Fueled Student Rage
What followed the chaos was even more insulting: silence. JAMB failed to address the rising panic. There was no emergency communication, no real-time updates, and no meaningful response from leadership. Candidates were left confused, sometimes receiving center changes only hours before their scheduled times. Parents were ignored. The media had to amplify the distress before any public official reacted.
Into this vacuum of leadership stepped the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), issuing a 72-hour ultimatum to JAMB. NANS threatened mass protest if the agency did not review its schedule and address the trauma inflicted. This response was not driven by politics but by the collective exhaustion of Nigerian students who have been stretched to the edge by institutional failures, from incessant strikes to unsafe learning environments.
Their outrage is legitimate. For many young Nigerians, UTME is their only shot at higher education. To turn it into a psychological battleground is to betray the very promise of education as a path to liberation.
Conclusion: Rethinking JAMB for a Brighter Future
What happened in 2025 shouldn’t be meant to repeat itself again. If JAMB is to regain public trust, it must be rebuilt around students, not systems. This means redesigning the exam timetable with security, accessibility, and age-appropriateness in mind. No teenager should be traveling alone at 5 a.m. for a national exam. Scheduling must begin at safe hours, and public transport coordination should be part of the plan in high-risk zones.
JAMB should endeavor to establish an emergency response system to communicate changes quickly and clearly. Students and parents deserve transparency, not last-minute shocks. Beyond logistics, the agency must also open decision-making to include student representatives from bodies like NANS so policies are grounded in reality, not guesswork.
JAMB should work on reaffirming its core purposes: assessing academic readiness and expanding opportunity. The challenges of 2025, marked by distress and disruption, should be a wake-up call. Students deserve a humane and responsive examination process that values their dreams and addresses their concerns with clear communication and better logistics.
To regain public trust, JAMB must also embrace full accountability. If the 500 billion expenditure is accurate, a detailed public audit is essential. Nigerians have a right to know how education funds are used. Regular financial reporting and independent audits should become standard practice.
Conclusively, JAMB still has the chance to reimagine itself; not as a source of anxiety but as a gateway to higher education that values empathy, clarity and fairness. Reforms rooted in the lived realities of students will not only restore confidence but also renew the agency’s relevance in Nigeria’s evolving educational landscape.
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