— Questions 6:30 a.m. schedule

The Founder and General Overseer of Omega Power Ministries (OPM), Apostle Chibuzor Gift Chinyere, has called on the Federal Government to scrap the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), describing its examination process as burdensome for students and parents.

Chinyere made the call on Sunday during a sermon at the church’s international headquarters in Port Harcourt.

He argued that JAMB had outlived its usefulness, noting that many tertiary institutions still conduct their own screening or entrance examinations after candidates sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The cleric also raised concerns over early examination schedules, particularly the 6:30 a.m. sessions, citing safety risks for candidates.

“Sometimes I wonder why JAMB fixes exams for 6:30 a.m. For students under our scholarship, we often have to provide funds for hotel accommodation because they cannot travel safely at that hour,” he said.

According to him, the additional cost of lodging places financial strain on parents and sponsoring organisations, as candidates are often required to stay overnight near examination centres.

Chinyere further criticised the posting of candidates to centres far from their residences, urging the board to prioritise proximity to reduce risks and expenses.

“Candidates should be assigned to centres close to where they live to minimise hardship and ensure their safety,” he said.

He also cited security concerns, referencing reports of candidates being abducted while travelling for examinations, and described the situation as troubling.

The cleric compared Nigeria’s admission process with systems in other countries, noting that many institutions abroad rely on school-based assessments and direct applications rather than multiple high-stakes examinations.

“In Nigeria, students write WAEC, then JAMB, then post-UTME, and still face cut-off marks. If they don’t succeed, they repeat the process the following year. It is frustrating,” he said.

Chinyere warned that the current system could discourage students and contribute to rising numbers of out-of-school youths if reforms are not implemented.

He urged the Federal Government to review the admission framework and adopt a more student-friendly approach that reduces financial and logistical pressures on candidates.

Omega Power Ministries is known for sponsoring underprivileged Nigerians through local and international scholarship programmes funded by donations.