“I Left Home at” 5AM”—UTME Candidates Brave Risks to Meet 6:30AM Exam Schedule
Priscilla was shocked to see that her exam was set for 6:30 am when she checked her Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) schedule on her Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) portal in April.
How could they expect me to leave the house early, I wondered? “I was disturbed,” Priscilla stated.
“I think JAMB made a mistake with the schedule,” she told The Guardian.
Even though she had previously written the UTME, this would be her first time taking the test just after sunrise.
The previous year, she was accepted to Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) and started an undergraduate degree program in a field she had not chosen.
Her only option was to spend the night in a tutorial center outside of campus, which she did, even though it was inconvenient for her because other applicants who had exams at 6:30 am also stayed there. “There were no beds, so we had to lie on chairs in the tutorial center. I did not sleep that night because my body was aching,” she said. The next morning, Priscilla left at 5:30 am and boarded a commercial motorcycle to her exam venue. Having to stay overnight would have meant missing her exam and possibly ending her chances of finally studying her dream course.
“JAMB’s usual”
Every year, JAMB administers the UTME, a standardized entrance exam, to prospective undergraduate students at Nigerian postsecondary institutions.
Depending on the course they choose to take, applicants are assessed in four different subjects.
Each year, there are more people signing up for the test.
About 1.9 million applicants took the test in 2024. In 2025, the number rose to 2,030,627 candidates.
In past years, some applicants were required to travel to other states in order to take the exam.
However, JAMB emphasized that in 2025, it will only send candidates to testing locations in their hometown.
The Guardian reported that this was not the first time JAMB would arrange tests for 6:30 am.
Daring to chase a dream
Some applicants, such as Priscilla, have expressed worries about being sent to remote locations, the 6:30 am exam schedule, the risks involved in taking the test, and the lack of time for last-minute study sessions.
She expressed to The Guardian her concern for her safety as she prepared to take her test.
“I was overcome with terror. Priscilla remarked, “My parents and siblings kept calling to make sure I was safe.”
They don’t have to pay for their worries.
Esther Oluwafayofunmi Oladele, an applicant, vanished on the way from Ajah to Epe on April 25, the same day Priscilla went to take her exam.
Sources claim that Oladele had intended to spend the night before her test in Epe staying with a relative. The next day, she was discovered in the Ogun State town of Ijeu-Ode.
Additionally, Priscilla told The Guardian that she was anxious and found it difficult to study the morning of the test.
According to much research, students who are prone to test anxiety may have additional difficulties when taking tests in the morning.
Patrick, another applicant, voiced similar worries.
He informed The Guardian that he was afraid of being robbed or abducted while traveling to the testing location.
“I had to leave my house by 5:30 that morning after waking up at around three in the morning. Since my neighborhood is usually empty at that time, it was difficult for me to find a ride to my exam location that morning,” Patrick remarked.
Nigerians make fun of JAMB.
On social media, a large number of Nigerians have criticized JAMB for manipulating tests by 6:30. They questioned the decision’s justification.
Citing safety concerns—especially in a nation where insecurity is rampant and criminal acts like robbery, kidnapping, and murder flourish in the dark—they also accused the board of not appreciating human life.
Patrick’s mother, Olaoluwa Awode, told The Guardian that she was heartbroken to find out that her son’s exam was set for 6:30.
Given the degree of insecurity in our nation, 6:30 is too early for UTME applicants to leave their homes. “JAB’s scheduled exams at that time are awful,” she bemoaned.
Some applicants are still unaccounted for and missing, while others were killed in an accident. Instead of setting the exam for 6:30 am, JAMB ought to have extended the dates.
In response to these worries, JAMB stated that clearance procedures start at 6:30 am and exams start at 8:00 am, not 6:00 am.
However, the public’s worries were not addressed by their response, as numerous individuals have urged the board to reevaluate the test timetable template.
When asked for comments, Fabian Benjamin, the board’s spokeswoman, did not reply.
Editor’s Note: In order to safeguard applicants’ identities, their complete names were not disclosed.
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