Power and network failures reportedly marred commencement of the 2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) on Saturday in some centres in Lagos and Abuja.
According to reports, some candidates in a few Computer-Based Test centres in Lagos State, scheduled for 7am, were unable to take the exam until 1pm, and when they were called in to commence the exam, their computers reportedly went off after writing just two or three papers.
The newspaper learnt that the Virtual Private Network, which transmits the questions from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, failed in a handful of those centres, leading to anxiety among candidates and parents.
In some of the centres, reports said candidates were asked to put down their names and go back home, saying the board would get back to them.
At a centre, a parent with name Akinboyegbe Marcus allegedly told reporters that he left Ikotun area of Lagos as early as 6am but that his son, scheduled to take the exam by 9am, had not taken it as of 2pm when he was speaking with the medium.
The distraught candidates, therefore, appealed to the examination board to quickly address the challenges so that their quest to gain admission into higher institutions would not be jeopardized.
AFRICA DAILY NEWS, NEW YORK
