How female candidate refused to attempt UTME questions over miracle directive – JAMB

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has narrated how a female candidate in the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) refused to attempt any question during her session, believing in a promised miracle from her grandfather.

In a statement released on Saturday by its Public Communication Advisor, Dr Fabian Benjamin, JAMB disclosed that the candidate said her grandfather had instructed her to rely on divine intervention during the exam.

“Another dimension of gullibility was exhibited by a female UTME candidate who refused to attempt any question when she sat for the examination this morning because she was complying with the instruction of her grandfather to do nothing at the examination but wait for miraculous intervention. Of course such miracles do not happen with JAMB.

“Candidates are advised against superstitious and baseless dream of reaping where they did not sow,” Fabian said.

Meanwhile, JAMB has cautioned against the spread of misinformation regarding the assignment of candidates to exam centres, reiterating that no candidate is posted outside their selected examination town.

The Board further announced a financial reward for anyone who can provide verifiable proof of such an occurrence.

“It is our firm belief that some parents are continually being deceived, misled and duped by their own wards and some secondary school proprietors who continue to propagate the falsehood that JAMB assigns candidates to examination centres outside their chosen examination towns.

“Let it be unequivocally clear: at the time of registration, candidates have the right to select their preferred examination town. JAMB subsequently assigns them to a centre within that chosen town. The baseless assertion that candidates are placed in towns different from their selections is erroneous, malicious and aimed solely at tarnishing the Board’s reputation. It never happens.

“JAMB acknowledges the importance of convenience for candidates, ensuring they sit for their examinations in locations of their choice among available CBT centres. Every candidate has the prerogative to choose their examination town, while JAMB only assigns the candidate within the chosen town.

“The Board therefore challenges this false but popular narrative by offering a handsome financial reward to any one person who can provide authentic proof of just one candidate who is posted outside the chosen town of the candidate.

“For transparency and not ‘being a judge in one’s case.’ Such proof should within the next 96 hours be sent to the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) WhatsApp Number; 08056003030 so that the umpire can ensure the reward is delivered or the Board is once and for all exonerated from the recurring campaign of calumny,” the statement said.