Peter Obi has appealed to the Joint Admissions Matriculation Board management to review its administrative approach, as reported blacklisting of 17 out of 28 approved centres in Anambra has brought difficulty to admission-seeking candidates.
Mr Obi’s plea, on Friday, followed his recent trip through Amawbia, in Anambra, where he observed a large gathering of students at the state’s JAMB headquarters.
According to Mr Obi, students at the scene revealed that they were there to make important changes to their choices of institutions and courses, following the inability to receive such services at the different designated CBT centrEs in the state.
The students stated that most CBT centers in Anambra have been barred from providing such services.
Mr Obi stated, “When I inquired why they weren’t using those centres, their response was disheartening: most of the CBT centres had stopped offering the service, leaving them with few or no alternatives.
“Further investigation revealed that out of 28 JAMB-approved centres (CBTs) in Anambra State, 17 have been blacklisted. Sadly, many of the affected centres were not even informed of the specific reasons behind this action. The explanation given was the vague phrase: ‘under investigation’.”
Decrying the aftermath of the prevailing situation, Mr Obi stated that the current reality had caused students repeated long trips, as well as financial, physical, and emotional strains.
Mr Obi said, “These young Nigerians—already grappling with immense pressure—now face even greater financial, physical, and emotional strain. The challenges they confront have prevented many from transferring to their preferred institutions, placing their academic futures at serious risk. To make matters worse, several universities have already begun their post-UTME screening, leaving these students further disadvantaged and uncertain about their prospects.”
Describing the situation as avoidable, Mr Obi called on JAMB to adopt a student-friendly approach in the present circumstances, pending the outcome of its reported investigation into the blacklisted centres.
He said, “While JAMB may have valid reasons for blacklisting some centres, one must ask: could a more humane and transparent approach not have been adopted? Is it not possible to allow these centres to continue offering essential services under close monitoring, pending the outcome of investigations?”
