As the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination(UTME) is being conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) across Nigeria, some candidates in Lagos rated the conduct of the exam very highly.

They said the exercise went well as far as they were concerned, except that the time given to them to answer the multiple-choice questions for the four subjects, as applicable to each of them, was not enough.

Meanwhile, results of candidates who sat the exam especially for the first two days have started trickling in, with some of them scoring above 200 from 400 possible marks.

Nigerian Tribune monitored the exam in some CBT centres within the Lagos metropolis, including the one at WAEC International office at Agidingbi Road, Ikeja, TimeOn Kairos Educational and Vocational Institute at Super, Abule-Egba, and Lufem Oko-Oba observed that the exam started as scheduled, with the first batch commencing around 8.30 am, while the second and third batches commenced around 11:00 am and 1.30 pm respectively, and the last batch for the day around 4.00 pm.

It was observed that parents of candidates who were from different areas of Lagos and from Sango-Ota, Akute, and Ifo in Ogun State were seen sitting under the trees and beside the walls to shield themselves from the sun.

Some of them said they were not comfortable leaving their children to come alone for the exam and that they had to leave home early enough so as to beat the anticipated traffic that characterises vehicular movement in Lagos.

However, some candidates who spoke to Nigerian Tribune said they were satisfied with the conduct of the exam, particularly as regards the biometric screening, the internet, and the computer they used for the exam.

They said the internet and the computer worked without any hitch and that they did not experience any power failure while both the screening and their exam lasted, and so there was no disruption whatsoever, according to them, throughout the period they spent on the multiple-choice online exam.

The prospective undergraduates were tested in four subjects based on their choice of courses, including English language and Mathematics.

They said the exam officials did not allow them to enter the hall with any of the prohibited items, including a wristwatch and an air ring, and also did not allow them to talk to one another.

While some said they found Mathematics questions a bit difficult, particularly because of a lack of time to solve some of them, others who are science students said Chemistry was the toughest for them.

The exam officials, who spoke in anonymity as they said they were not authorised to speak to newsmen, said JAMB does not expect any of the candidates to go outside the rules of the exam, which they said they had been informed of since the day they applied for the exam.

They added that in addition to that information, the entire conduct of both the exam officials and that of the candidates was being recorded and monitored centrally by the board.

“So, whoever that cheated in the exam or aided cheating in whatever form would be detected and appropriately penalised for such action and that is why no one will want to flout the rules,” one of the exam officials said. (Nigerian Tribune)