NAN
Awka (Nigeria): Some candidates taking the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) organised by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) have lamented the short time given for the test.
They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent monitoring the examination in Awka on Friday that the allotted time was insufficient.
The candidates claimed that some were not conversant with computers, while others said they were not given extra time when they encountered technical problems.
They appealed for an extension of the set time to enable candidates to perform optimally.
Miss Onyimye Okonkwo, a candidate who sat for the Computer-Based Test (CBT) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, complained that the time was too short for her to cope, considering the technical fault that occurred during the test.
She said that two hours is not enough time to cover four subjects, and that I am not familiar with computers. I am hopeful about my scores.
Miss Juliet Nnadi, another candidate, said that, during her aptitude examination, she experienced technical problems with the computer. Although these issues were eventually resolved, she stated that she was not given extra time to make up for the hour lost.
Another candidate, Mr Chibundu Nwafor, remarked that the allotted exam time was unfair to some candidates who were not very conversant with computer processes.
Nwafor urged the JAMB organisers to reconsider the allotted time, stressing that the process would affect their future.
One supervisor, who requested anonymity, said the computers worked, adding that some candidates were nervous and not computer-literate.
The supervisor emphasised the importance of children attending computer lessons, especially during holidays.
UTME runs from April 16 to April 26.
