Parents and guardians in Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba State on Monday staged a peaceful protest over the alleged delisting of the area's only Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board Computer Based Test centre ahead of the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

The protesters, who converged at the affected centre in Gembu, the administrative headquarters of the council, expressed concern that the development would impose severe financial hardship on families and limit access to tertiary education for candidates from the council. They appealed to relevant authorities to urgently restore the centre.

Speaking with The Guardian, some parents said candidates from the council may now spend between N130,000 and N220,000 to register for and sit the 2026 UTME, following a new JAMB policy. Under the 2026 guidelines, any examination town with fewer than three accredited CBT centres is ineligible to host UTME registration or examinations.

As a result, the only CBT centre previously serving Sardauna council has reportedly been delisted, forcing candidates to travel long distances to neighbouring local governments to complete their registration and sit for the examination. The situation has significantly increased costs for candidates and their families, who must now pay for transportation, accommodation, feeding, and other logistics in addition to registration fees.

Estimates indicate that candidates travelling from Ndum–Yaji to Gembu and onward to Bali Local Government Council may spend about N98,700 on registration alone. Those from Bang face similar expenses, while candidates from Kan Iyaka are estimated to spend about N108,700. Candidates from Mbamnga may spend approximately N68,700, while those residing in Gembu could spend at least N62,700.

The figures include transportation, accommodation, feeding, and the official JAMB registration and mock examination fee of N8,700. Costs are expected to rise further, as candidates will need to return for the actual UTME and may be posted to centres as far as Jalingo or Zing.

Education stakeholders in the area described the situation as particularly troubling given Taraba State's free education policy. Despite this policy, parents are now compelled to shoulder heavy out of pocket expenses for external examinations.

Residents said the rising costs are discouraging and place students from Sardauna at a disadvantage compared to their counterparts in other parts of the state and country, where CBT centres are more accessible. Community members and education advocates have therefore called on government officials and other stakeholders to urgently engage the Registrar of JAMB to reconsider the policy as it affects Sardauna.

They are demanding the restoration of at least one CBT centre in the area to ease the financial burden on families and promote equal access to tertiary education.

Also reacting to the development, the Principal of Government Day Secondary School, Gembu, where the delisted centre is located, Mr. Juyohson Timothy, said the facility had hosted JAMB candidates from the council for the past five years. He expressed surprise that the centre was delisted without prior consultation with the community, noting that the decision would negatively affect prospective candidates from the area.

Aligning himself with parents and guardians, Timothy urged the leadership of JAMB to urgently restore the centre to prevent additional hardship for candidates.