Chaos and Heartbreak as JAMB's Last-Minute Centre Change Disrupts UTME Resit Exams in Imo State

 

A wave of frustration swept through parts of Imo State on Friday, May 16, 2025, as several Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidates were unable to sit for the rescheduled test due to a sudden and poorly communicated change in exam centres by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

The board, which had initially rescheduled the UTME for candidates in the South East and Lagos following discrepancies in the results of the earlier April sitting, sent out fresh notifications on Thursday, May 15, with barely 24 hours’ notice for the new test date. However, a further twist came when some candidates discovered on the morning of the exam that their test venues had been reassigned — without adequate warning.

Mr. Nwachukwu, a parent whose son was among those affected, shared his ordeal with Vanguard. He described how he received a JAMB slip on Thursday, detailing that his son was to take the exam by 6:30 AM the next day at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO). Determined not to let the short notice jeopardize his son’s future, the concerned father secured a private vehicle at a premium cost of ₦10,000 to ensure they arrived on time.

They left home at 5:00 AM and got to FUTO by 6:11 AM. Nwachukwu dropped his son and returned home, satisfied that he had done his part. However, what followed left the family devastated.

At about 8:35 AM, the son called to reveal that he and several other candidates had only just discovered that the venue for the 6:30 AM exam had been shifted to the Alvan Ikoku University of Education, also in Owerri. By the time they made their way to the new location, it was too late — the exam had concluded.

The elder Nwachukwu recounted his deep sense of helplessness and anger. “We did everything possible to be there on time. Why was a venue change communicated just hours before an already early exam?” he asked, visibly shaken and enraged. “My son returned from school in Rivers State for this. I know what I spent. I feel like cursing whoever is responsible for this kind of disorganization.”

He added that at the new centre, exam officials claimed they would notify JAMB headquarters about the mishap, although no concrete assurances were given to the candidates who missed out.

Another victim, Chiamaka, a visibly disheartened candidate, summed up her experience in a few words. “I don’t really know what to say; I just feel frustrated,” she told reporters at the scene.

Parents and guardians who spoke with reporters expressed disappointment at what they described as institutional negligence. Many questioned how a national examination body could alter critical exam logistics at the eleventh hour without providing sufficient communication channels to guarantee that every affected candidate would be informed in time.

This disruption comes in the wake of JAMB’s admission of technical and result-processing errors during the initial UTME session in April. In response, the board rescheduled the examination for specific regions, including the South East, to correct the anomalies. However, the attempt at correction has now stirred fresh controversy, with critics accusing JAMB of compounding the problem through mismanagement and poor planning.

The situation also raises broader questions about the level of preparedness and crisis management within the country’s educational assessment bodies. While JAMB has yet to issue an official statement regarding the reported miscommunication in Owerri, calls are growing louder for the board to conduct a makeup exam for the affected candidates and ensure accountability in its internal processes.

Candidates, their parents, and other concerned stakeholders are now hoping for swift intervention, not only to address this particular failure but also to prevent similar chaos in the future. For many, this is not just about a missed exam—it’s about dashed hopes, financial strain, and a system that seems increasingly indifferent to the aspirations of those it is meant to serve.