The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has denied reports claiming it posts candidates to exam centres outside their selected towns. In a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja, JAMB’s spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, explained that candidates are always assigned to centres within their preferred towns based on available Computer-Based Test (CBT) facilities.
Candidates Choose Exam Towns, Says JAMB
Benjamin stressed that candidates are given the chance to choose their exam towns during registration. He explained that the Board carefully places candidates at centres inside their selected towns and never outside. According to him, JAMB considers candidates’ convenience as a major priority when making centre assignments.
He added, “Let it be unequivocally clear: at the time of registration, candidates have the right to select their preferred examination town. JAMB subsequently assigns them to a centre within the selected town.”
The Board blamed the spread of the false claims on some candidates, parents, and secondary school owners. Benjamin said,
“It is our firm belief that some parents are continually being deceived, misled, and defrauded by their wards and some secondary school proprietors who perpetuate this falsehood.”
JAMB Challenges False Allegations with Reward Offer
Benjamin criticised those spreading wrong information and said JAMB is ready to reward anyone who can prove the allegations.
He said, “The baseless claim that candidates are posted to towns different from their choices is erroneous, malicious, and aimed solely at tarnishing the Board’s reputation. It does not happen.”
He offered a financial reward for authentic proof. He also directed that any evidence must be sent to the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) within 96 hours through their WhatsApp number: 08056003030. This, he said, would allow an independent body to verify the claims.
Benjamin noted that many people forget that CBT centres require preliminary verification before exams start. Because of that, candidates are advised to arrive 90 minutes early for these checks. He compared it to air travellers arriving two hours before their flights.
JAMB Warns Against Superstition and Urges Hard Work
Benjamin criticised superstitions affecting exam performance. He shared a strange example of a female candidate who refused to answer any questions during her exam. The candidate said her grandfather had instructed her to “do nothing and wait for miraculous intervention.”
Benjamin called on students to avoid “harbouring superstitious and baseless dreams of reaping where they have not sown.” He reminded everyone that success in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) comes through serious preparation and hard work.
He ended by appealing to the public to give government agencies the benefit of the doubt. He stressed that JAMB remains committed to serving the public interest at all times.
Bottom Line
JAMB has firmly denied posting candidates to exam centres outside their chosen towns. The Board reaffirmed its commitment to fairness, transparency, and service to the public good. It also urged Nigerians to reject false claims and trust the process put in place to ensure smooth examination experiences for candidates.
