Nigerian Educators and Parents Condemn JAMB’s 6:30 a.m. Mock Exam Schedule Amid National Security Fears

Parents and teachers urge JAMB to reschedule the 6:30 a.m. mock exam arrival time, citing kidnapping risks and insecurity for Nigerian students.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 27, 2026, 4:38 PM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Peoples Gazette

Dawn Registration Mandate Sparks Safety Outcry

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has triggered widespread concern among Nigerian parents and educationists by setting a 6:30 a.m. arrival time for the 2026 Mock Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. Scheduled for Saturday, March 28, the early start is intended to facilitate biometric registration for a newly extended four-hour testing format. However, school administrators warn that this requirement forces students to commute as early as 4:00 a.m., a timeframe that coincides with peak activity for criminal elements in many parts of the country. According to various school heads, the logistical demand ignores the current reality of localized instability and the physical danger posed to minors traveling in the dark.

Insecurity as a Barrier to Academic Participation

The principal of Lumen Christi International High School, Otaigbe J., noted that while early timing is standard for international assessments, Nigeria’s specific climate of kidnappings and terrorist activity makes such schedules inherently hazardous. He argued that the lack of reliable infrastructure, combined with unpredictable traffic and poor road conditions, ensures that many students will struggle to meet the deadline. According to Otaigbe, the fear of meeting danger on the road outweighs the academic benefits of the mock exercise. This sentiment reflects a growing divide between centralized examination policies and the lived security experiences of families in volatile states like Edo and the northern regions.

Logistical Displacement and Travel Risks

Further complicating the examination process is the severe shortage of Computer-Based Test centers, which has resulted in candidates being posted to distant states. Egah Onakpa of Capital Science Academy revealed that many students residing in Abuja were assigned to centers in Nasarawa or Niger State, necessitating long-distance travel through known security hotspots. According to Onakpa, several parents have already indicated they will prevent their children from attending the mock exam rather than risk a highway abduction. The concentration of available technology in limited urban hubs continues to force a dangerous migration of students during every major testing cycle.