2025 UTME: NANS Issues 72-hour Ultimatum, Threatens Protest Over Early Exam Schedule

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) leadership has demanded that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) immediately revise and adjust the examination timetable, insisting that no student should be scheduled for the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) before 9 am, citing safety concerns.

The student body has therefore given JAMB a 72-hour ultimatum to amend the UTME timetable and create a more student-centered schedule to avoid putting candidates in unnecessary danger.

The students argued that candidates’ lives are put at risk when they have to embark on long-distance journeys before 6 am to attend examinations scheduled too early in the day.

This stance by NANS was made known in a statement jointly signed by the NANS President, Comrade Olushola Oladoja, and the National Public Relations Officer, Samson Adeyemi, on Sunday in Abuja.

The students criticized the decision as being insensitive, considering the current security challenges in the country, to set exam times so early that candidates have to leave their homes very early to complete biometric verification and exams between 6 am and 8 am.

They urged the Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, to step in and prevent students from being subjected to unnecessary risks due to poor scheduling.

According to part of the statement, “NANS strongly condemns the insensitive scheduling of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, which has placed students in precarious situations by assigning examination times as early as 6 a.m.”

The statement continued, “This decision, given the prevailing security challenges in the country, is both inconsiderate and dangerous.”

“It is deeply troubling that students are expected to commute to examination centres in the early hours of the morning, often navigating unsafe routes and facing transportation difficulties,” it further stated.

“Reports indicate that some candidates have had to travel long distances, exposing them to unnecessary risks,” the statement added.

It stressed that the current security situation in Nigeria requires that authorities prioritize students’ safety and well-being instead of exposing them to needless difficulties.

“NANS calls on JAMB to immediately review and adjust the examination schedule to ensure that no student is required to sit for an exam before 9 am,” the statement demanded.

It also appealed, “We urge the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, to intervene and ensure that students are not placed in harm’s way due to poor planning.”

The students further warned, “We hereby issue a 72-hour ultimatum to JAMB to revise the UTME schedule and adopt a more student-friendly approach.”

They threatened, “Failure to comply will leave NANS with no choice but to mobilise students nationwide for peaceful protests to demand immediate action.”

They emphasized, “The welfare and security of Nigerian students must never be compromised.”

“NANS remains committed to advocating for policies that protect students and ensure their academic pursuits are not hindered by avoidable challenges,” the statement concluded.