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South East Senators query JAMB’s exam glitch

The South East Senate Caucus has expressed worries over what it described as ‘curious and highly suspicious’ Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination glitch in some centres in Lagos and especially in the whole of South East in the 2025 exam circle.

The caucus, in a statement by its chairman, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe on Saturday in Abuja, said it would be disheartening to contemplate such conspiracy theory, “that there is a narrow agenda being pursued to deliberately shortchange and harm the future of our children.”

Though, the caucus, after a careful assesment of the reports of the ugly incident, noted with cautious optimism the efforts to mitigate the near disaster, particularly the rescheduling of the examination, it warned that a future reoccurrence will be unacceptable.

Nonetheless, South East Senator, he added welcomed the timely acceptance of fault as expressed through the open declaration of regret and tearful apology by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) management, particularly its Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede.

Notwithstanding, the South East lawmakers, according to Senator Abaribe, hopes and warns that such display of penitence in public would not be an effort to mask a future sinister agenda aimed at harming the educational advancement of children of the South East region.

“The so-called glitch as curious and suspicious as it were is enough to erode confidence and dangerously lower national pride among the future generation.

Read Also: JAMB: Beyond technical glitches…

“The relevant national education drivers must recognise the inherent danger of injecting hateful politics and narrow parochial consideration in both policy enunciation and its implementations.

“That the glitch happened in the whole of South East raises pertinent questions that must be answered by JAMB to assuage the growing frustrations and fears among the people of the region particularly the children who are directly at the receiving end. We must pursue a Nigerian agenda and not a narrow one that will ultimately injure national unity

“Education remains one of the most important bedrock of any society’s advancement. It is one major indices of development in every facet of life that can never be faulted.

“Education is a major pivot that triggers national development. Every child is entitled to it, therefore we must not play roulette with,“ Abaribe said.

May 17, 2025
Ethnicisation of JAMB’s 2025 UTME exams unfortunate
- By Tony Onyima
It is rather unfortunate that the JAMB travail over the 2025 UMTE examinations has been ethnicised, just like almost every issue in Nigeria. I am saddened by the fact that primordial sentiments have overwhelmed the people who should rise above the noise.

Globally, high-stakes standardised tests have been marred by significant technical failures, raising concerns about the integrity and reliability of these assessments. Nigeria is not an exception.

Last year, India’s National Testing Agency (NTA) faced substantial criticism following the 2024 NEET-UG examination. The exam was plagued by allegations of question paper leaks, with authorities arresting individuals in connection with the leaks. Additionally, discrepancies in results, such as an unusually high number of perfect scores and mathematically improbable marks, led to public outcry and legal challenges. The matter got to the Supreme Court. In its ruling, the apex court acknowledged that at least 155 students benefited from the paper leak but ruled against a nationwide re-examination, citing the lack of systemic failure.

Similarly, India’s Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) in 2024 encountered issues, including technical glitches and inconsistencies in question paper difficulty levels, leading to normalisation concerns and dissatisfaction among candidates.

In the United States of America, the College Board transitioned the SAT to a digital format in 2024 to modernise the testing process. However, the rollout was not without issues. Some test-takers reported technical difficulties, such as connectivity problems and software glitches, that disrupted the testing experience. While the College Board addressed these concerns by providing alternative testing dates and support, the incidents highlighted the challenges of transitioning to digital assessments on a large scale.

Read Also: JAMB opens counselling centre for UTME candidates

In Nigeria, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has faced recurring technical challenges in its Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). In 2024, approximately 77% of candidates scored below 200 out of 400, a statistic that sparked debates about the examination’s fairness. Parents and educators attributed the mass failure to computer malfunctions, poor internet connectivity, and power outages during the exams. In an apparent attempt to correct the 2024 challenges, JAMB recorded major glitches leading to mass failures.

The fallout from India’s NEET-UG controversy led to the government establishing a high-level panel to oversee examination reforms. The U.S. College Board addressed technical issues by offering alternative testing options. In India and the U.S., there was no profiling or stigmatisation of the agencies’ heads. The authorities recognised the problems as systemic and dealt with them.

The recurring technical issues in standardised testing across these countries underscore the need for robust infrastructure, transparent processes, and accountability. As examinations continue to evolve, particularly with the integration of digital platforms, stakeholders must prioritise reliability and fairness to maintain public trust in these critical assessment systems. We can not ethnicise solutions.
May 17, 2025
JAMB: Beyond technical glitches…
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is the government agency charged with organizing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) across Nigeria. JAMB as an agency was a military creation by a decree promulgated by the Act (no.2 of 1978). Since then the agency has been in charge of organizing admission exams into Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.

Like all human institutions, there have been challenges along the way. Many students and their parents have had stories to tell either of joy or sadness. There have been cases where due to either genuine mistakes or tacky acts of negligence, otherwise brilliant students have either had their results seized for alleged UTME center fraud or errors in the handling of the exam marks.

However, it is equally notable that there have been recorded excellent performances from some students who have scored very high marks in the well sort after UTME exams. With the appointment of Prof. Ishaq Oloyeded by the Buhari government in 2016, notable changes have taken place around the organization of the UTME exams. It is now more digitized and for some time, the Commission has contributed huge revenues from the form sales to the economy.

The JAMB registrar seems to have enjoyed something of a heroic adulation by many Nigerians given the improvements with the organization of the exams and the other improved administrative processes that have made it easier for the organization to minimize the series of flaws that have bedeviled the process like exam malpractices and late release of results. These improvements seem to have given Prof. Oloyede somewhat of a heroic acceptance in academic circles.

Then with the UTME results that were recently released by JAMB, eyebrows are being raised. First there was disbelief amongst some students and their parents with the results. The social media had been awash with some students calling on JAMB to look into their results because given their academic records, they could not align their 2025 UTME results with their previous academic performances.

Luckily, unlike many institutional failures in the country, JAMB was alerted and a stakeholders’ meeting held and a promised immediate investigation carried out. Over 387,000 candidates in most states in the South East and Lagos were affected. JAMB admitted that a technical error that compromised the integrity of the results in about 157 centers nationwide had occurred.

The registrar in a teary and emotional press conference said that the board discovered discrepancies linked to faulty server updates in its Lagos and South East zones which led to the failure to upload candidates’ responses during the first three days of the examination. The national outrage had been massive and there was even a protest match by some parents and candidates at the JAMB office.

Read Also: How I scored 334 in JAMB – 16-year-old Ebule shares his secret

Sadly, the gravity of the issue was such that a distraught candidate, Faith Opesusi allegedly committed suicide after finding out she allegedly scored 146 points out of 400, a mark that was possibly too low to get her any slot at her choice university. She was one of the 78 percent of students that scored below 200. Some other candidates must be undergoing levels of trauma and depression. They are young and impressionable and are in a society that often measures success by academic achievements

The Roundtable Conversation believes that now that this tragic issue has happened, beyond retaking the exams, the Nigerian government and its education agencies must recalibrate in order to minimize such grave errors that have earlier come in small forms and left unattended leading to this tragic loss of life. The education of our children must be prioritized in ways that there is better eaze of gaining admission and studying the chosen courses by succesful students. This is because most dreams of candidates begin to die from their being disenfranchised from UTME exams to admission nepotism into chosen universities. In a country with little or no statistics or research findings on the effects of admission challenges into Nigerian tertiary institutions, candidates feeling suicidal or depressed must be avoided for a growing economy like Nigeria.

We spoke to Prof. Anthony Kila, a renowned educationist, a Jean Monnet Professor of Strategy and Development and a political economist and the Centre Director, Commonwealth Institute of Advanced and Professional Studies (CIAPS). He is a veteran lecturer and public affairs analyst. He believes that the nation must learn from this very sad incident even if we all agree that humans cannot be seen as infallible. Errors will occur in human institutions but there must be efforts to avoid the avoidable ones.

To Prof. Kila, there could not have been a deliberate attempt to sabotage the efforts of the candidates by the management of JAMB. What we must do is to try to improve systemic efficiency first by making sure that competence and diligence cannot be compromised in staff recruitment either in JAMB or any other institution. There must be a staff audit to determine competences that can drive human excellence for both staff and contractors. There must be efforts to make sure that the academic sector must, like Ceasar’s wife, be beyond reproach.

A system must be in place for remedies that can assuage the anger and disappointment that comes with human and technical errors and they must be swift, fast and reliable. Again Nigerians must build institutions that can stand irrespective of who is at the helm. The system must be such that each human in the system optimally functions. JAMB and other academic examination bodies must begin to institute measures that make the system accountable, flexible and credible. In the academia, there must be no room for errors let alone grave ones like the one that impact young impressionable candidates that often believe that getting academic achievements validate their existence.

As regards the candidate that committed suicide, Prof. believes that we must readjust our social values where there is an assumption that failure at any instance means the end of the world. He believes that parents and teachers must let young people understand that failure and success are two sides of the same coin of life. Failing is not an end and succeeding at the level of progressive exams like UTME does not crown anyone with life successes.

There must be a reorientation of students to let people who had failed entrance exams like UTME several times but still succeeded in their dreams as professionals in different fields of life. Very often, there is a illusion that succeeding in getting admission at the first sitting is the magic wand for life success.

There must be a more convenient way to come over such human errors and still maintain trust in institutions and calm down candidates and their families. The skepticism in the system can be assuaged if there is a set way that errors can be corrected with minimal discomfort. There could be an imediate remarking of scripts or a way that the exams can be re-taken. Good that JAMB is planning this.

He also believes that we must let young people understand that admission criteria does not always end with high scores. Scoring high marks is good but in a competitive admission environment, high scores might be relative. A candidate might score 300 for a course that the admission cut-off mark is possibly higher.

The Roundtable Conversation observed that it was a very teary-eyed Prof. Oloyede that accepted full responsibility as the registrar of JAMB. How does his fellow Prof. analyze that in a society where crying is not seen as a ‘manly’ behavior? He believes that shedding tears is a human expression of emotions either for joy or sadness. In this instance, it is obvious that the registrar recognized the gravity of the errors that put a question mark on his integrity given the charismatic image he has enjoyed for his efforts at re-organizing JAMB to be more functional.

However, while his acceptance of responsibility seems exciting in an environment where the social impact of not taking responsibility for systemic errors abound, his reactions are commendable but he must go beyond that. There must be a thorough investigation of the incident that led to such technical glitches with so much impact that a life was sadly lost. There must be a forensic audit to establish whether the issue was out of human negligence or an unavoidable technical problem. That is the only way to forestall future incidents.

The Roundtable Conversation totally agrees with Prof. Kila. If we agree that education is the bedrock of any society, then we must be more deliberate in handling academic processes. This incident is not new, the scale might be massive but it is not a one-off one. Possibly the role of social media in highlighting the issue through first person narratives helped. The academic future of our children must be of international best practices if we must catch up with development.

Beyond re-taking the exams which by the way might be neither here no there because of trust deficiencies in the system by affected candidates, some might be too disoriented to do as well as they might have done in the initial exam. The affected candidates might need therapy to address the trauma the issue might have caused them. There must be a thorough investigation and the culprits identified and if there are punishments stipulated in the law, that the law takes its cause. The acceptance of responsibility and the tears of the registrar might not just be enough.

The academic world runs on high levels of credibility, diligence and integrity. The young who are the future and the victims of the system must be reassured if they see that the people who caused their traumatic experience if culpable face the law. That way, they too would grow understanding that actions or inactions have consequences. Is there room for justice with JAMB in this instance?
- The dialogue continues…
May 17, 2025
How I scored 334 in JAMB – 16-year-old Ebule shares his secret

Sixteen-year-old Oritsemeyiwa Precious Ebule has revealed the key factors behind his remarkable performance in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), where he scored an impressive 334 out of 400.

In a chat with The Nation from Warri, Delta State, the Federal Government College, Warri student attributed his success to a strong academic foundation and a habit of paying close attention during lessons.

He said, “The secret behind my JAMB score is not only because I read. From my SS 1 to SS 3, I have always had a good educational foundation, and I always listen to my teachers when they are teaching because there are some things that the teachers would say that are not in my book, so I pick up more information from what they say than what I read. That’s what makes me different from others and why I got a very high score in my JAMB, 334.”

Read Also: Why JAMB should be scrapped, by Actress Mary Njoku

Oritsemeyiwa scored 98 in Mathematics, 98 in Physics, 85 in Chemistry, and 53 in English, making a total of 334 out of 400.

The future “Mechanical Engineer” disclosed that he was “surprised” at his score, adding “not that I knew I couldn’t score that high, but during my Mock when I scored 326, it was easy. When I wrote my JAMB, it was a bit more difficult, yet I scored more. So, I was surprised.”

He recalled that the morning of the examination he had mixed feelings, stating, “I was a little afraid, but more confident because I had already studied.”

Ebule further expressed gratitude to his parents for their support and sacrifices in ensuring that he got quality education that reflected in his high score.

May 16, 2025
FULL LIST: Six states where candidates affected by JAMB error will retake UTME exams

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has admitted errors in the results of some candidates who took the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME).

Over 1.9 million candidates sat this year’s UTME, of which 1.5 million—or 78 per cent—scored less than 200 points out of the 400 obtainable points.

However, some candidates protested their low scores, insisting they performed better than their results showed.

JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede said the UTME statistics are consistent with what has been obtainable over the years. Last year, 76 per cent of candidates who sat the UTME scored less than 200 points.

According to JAMB, in 2022, 1.3 million candidates out of 1.7 million, or 78 per cent, who took the 2022 UTME scored below 200.

In 2021, only 803 candidates out of 1.3 million –or 0.06 per cent– who sat the 2021 UTME scored above 300, the registrar, Mr Oloyede, said at the time.

Read Also: JAMB: Obi urges reform of public institutions

However, the board invited stakeholders and reviewed the results after widespread concerns.

Oloyede said the board has decided that all candidates affected in 157 out of 882 centres will be contacted to retake their examinations starting Friday, 16 May.

A total of 379,997 candidates across the 157 centres in Lagos and the South-east would retake their examinations.

157 centres – 65 centres in the Lagos zone and 92 centres in the Owerri zone.

The six states affected are:

Lagos zone — Lagos State

Owerri zone — it comprises the five South-east states: Abia, Enugu, Imo, Ebonyi, and Anambra.

While 206,610 candidates were affected in the 65 centres in Lagos zone, 173,387 candidates were affected in 92 centres in Owerri zone.

Affected candidates would be contacted by JAMB through text messages sent to their registered phone numbers, email addresses, profiles, and phone calls.

They are also expected to reprint their examination slips for the rescheduled examination dates.

Oloyede said the board has contacted the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), which is currently holding its West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE), to allow JAMB some slots for candidates to take the exams, and WAEC has agreed.

May 16, 2025
JAMB sends rescheduled UTME dates, centres to candidates

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) will today begin the rescheduled Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for candidates affected by technical and human errors during the initial exercise.

The Nation reports that the examination body yesterday sent notices for the retake of the hampered UTME to the affected candidates.

Candidates in Lagos, Imo, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, and Abia states have begun receiving SMS notifications on the date, time and centres for the rescheduled examination.

A total of 379,997 candidates are expected to participate in the rescheduled examination, following the glitches that marred the original test sessions.

READ ALSO: FULL LIST: Six states where candidates affected by JAMB error will retake UTME exams

According to JAMB’s text messages, the rescheduled examination will hold today, tomorrow, and Monday.

The JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, who addressed reporters on Wednesday in Abuja on the errors, acknowledged that a combination of human and technological hiccups led to the disruptions in the conduct of this year’s UTME.

The board, however, ruled out sabotage, assuring the public that it was taking corrective measures to ensure a smooth rescheduled UTME.

Also, prominent Nigerians and institutions have been pouring encomiums on Prof. Oloyede for admitting the errors and taking decisive steps to correct the anomaly.

Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi has praised Oloyede for his forthright admission of technical glitches that marred the examination.

In a statement yesterday, Obi described Oloyede’s open acknowledgment of the fault and his expression of remorse as “a rare but commendable display of accountability” in Nigeria’s public institution.

He lauded JAMB’s swift response to the errors, stressing the need for systemic reforms and stronger safeguards to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

Also, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) applauded JAMB for admitting to its errors in the just-concluded 2025 UTME.

In a statement yesterday in Abuja, the agency hailed JAMB for what it called exceptional transparency and accountability in addressing the challenges that followed the recently released results.

Also, the JAMB Equal Opportunity Group (JEOG) has declared full support for Oloyede over the technical errors.

In a statement yesterday in Abuja by its Chairman, Emeritus Professor Peter Okebukola, JEOG praised the Registrar for his “candour, courage, and transparency” in responding to public concerns and in detailing the technical errors that affected some examination centres.

Also, the management of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) applauded Oloyede for accepting responsibility on the recent glitch that marred this year’s UTME.

Reacting to the development, the UNILORIN Vice Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole (SAN), said: “Only a conscientious, sincere, and courageous leader with genuine compassion for the welfare of the people he serves could openly take responsibility for an incident surrounding the service delivery of an organisation he heads but which glitch was not due to his personal negligence.”

The Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) sympathised with the candidates affected by the errors.

Reacting to the development yesterday in Abuja, COEASU President, Dr. Smart Olugbeko, said: “…The recent errors highlight the limitations of technology and the need for diligence and care in its deployment.”

May 16, 2025
COEASU urges JAMB to conduct holistic review of UTME results

The Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) has urged the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to conduct a holistic review of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

President of COEASU, Dr. Smart Olugbeko said this in a press statement on Thursday in Abuja.

On Wednesday, Registrar of JAMB, Prof Is-haq Oloyede admitted that there were errors in the conduct of the UTME leading to poor performances of students.

Oloyede said the board would reschedule the exam of 379,997 candidates in Imo; Anambra; Enugu; Ebonyi; Abia and Lagos State.

However, Olugbeko said the holistic review would ensure that all candidates affected by the glitch in every part of the country are allowed to participate in the resit examination while deploying adequate measures to prevent reo-ccurence of the error.

The COEASU president sympathised with candidates affected by the errors.

The statement said: “These errors have caused significant emotional trauma to the students and their parents. We acknowledge that JAMB has made significant strides in recent years, leveraging technology to enhance the examination process. However, the recent errors highlight the limitations of technology and the need for diligence and care in its deployment. For instance, the Nigerian Army’s efforts to combat terrorism have sometimes resulted in unintended harm to civilians, underscoring the importance of caution when utilising technology.

“COEASU commends the Registrar of JAMB, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, for his sincerity and empathy in acknowledging the errors and taking responsibility. This is a rare quality among public officers, and we appreciate his commitment to finding solutions.

Read Also: JAMB: Obi urges reform of public institutions

“In contrast, some public officials have been known to deny responsibility for their actions, even when faced with overwhelming evidence. A notable example is the deployment of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), which was widely criticised for its corruption and inefficiencies. Despite its flaws, the proponents of IPPIS refused to acknowledge its shortcomings. The IPPIS debacle highlights the importance of accountability and transparency in public service. Unlike Professor Oloyede, the proponents of IPPIS have refused to apologise for the harm caused to tertiary institutions or adopt the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) developed by Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which has proved to be a more reliable and efficient platform

“Fortunately, the present government took a bold step by removing tertiary institutions

from the IPPIS platform and migrating them to the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GFMIS) platform. However, it is disturbing to note that those who benefit from the IPPIS malady have ensured that the GFMIS platform remains tied to the IPPIS system, resulting in continued unwarranted salary delays for tertiary institution staff.

“This lack of accountability is not limited to the IPPIS debacle. Many public officers who have ruined Nigeria’s economy and contributed to the insecurity plaguing the country today shamelessly collect awards for good governance and even have the audacity to teach others how to govern the country.

“We call on these individuals to take a cue from Professor Oloyede’s example and own up to their errors. COEASU applauds Professor Oloyede’s commitment to integrity and accountability. His leadership sets a positive example for public servants, and we hope that his approach will be emulated by others.

“We urge JAMB to make the review holistic in order to ensure that all candidates affected by the glitch in every part of the country are allowed to participate in the resit examination while deploying adequate measures to prevent reo-ccurence of the error.”

May 15, 2025
NOA lauds JAMB’s transparency, urges further action on UTME errors

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has lauded the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for its transparency and accountability in addressing challenges that followed the recently concluded 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

This is contained in a statement on Thursday in Abuja by the Agency’s Deputy Director of Media and Communication, Mr Paul Odenyi.

Odenyi said that the Director General of the Agency, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, lauded the Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, for demonstrating integrity and courage that public leadership demanded.

According to Issa-Onilu, this act of forthrightness is not only a testament to Oloyede’s personal values but also aligns with the principles of the National Values Charter (NVC).

He noted that such act enjoined all public institutions to operate with the highest standards of transparency and accountability.

He however stressed the need for JAMB to go a step further by initiating remedial measures that directly address the concerns of candidates, parents, and other stakeholders affected by the errors.

“While recognition of mistakes is the first step, redemption and restitution are other necessary steps to be taken.

“Having decided to provide another opportunity to the candidates as a way of redeeming the errors, it is imperative that JAMB considers appropriate compensation to mitigate the stress and anxiety these candidates may have suffered,” he said.

The NOA director general reaffirmed the agency’s unwavering commitment to promoting a governance culture anchored in trust, integrity, and mutual respect between citizens and institutions.

”JAMB’s example should serve as a model for other public institutions. When institutions own up to their mistakes and act to correct them, they earn the respect and confidence of the people,” he said.

Read Also: JAMB: Obi urges reform of public institutions

Reflecting on the citizen codes under the NVC, he reiterated that leadership was a collective responsibility.

”Every citizen, whether in public service or private life, has a duty to uphold the core values of integrity, accountability, and transparency.

“These values are not optional; they are the pillars of a just and equitable society,” he added.

Issa-Onilu reiterated the resolve of the agency to continue its advocacy for responsible leadership and value-driven citizenship.

He noted that the Agency’s campaign to entrench the ideals of the NVC across all levels of society would remain a central focus, as Nigeria strives toward a more ethical, inclusive, and responsible governance culture.

(NAN)

May 15, 2025
JAMB: Obi urges reform of public institutions

Mr. Peter Obi, a former Anambra governor and 2023 Labour Party (LP) Presidential Candidate has decried the 2025 Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination glitch.

He expressed concerns over the recent technical glitches that marred the release of results, affecting nearly 380,000 candidates across the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, on Wednesday, broke down in tears as he apologised for the errors in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

“I apologise for the trauma caused to the candidates,” Oloyede said tearfully during a news conference in Abuja.

Oloyede, at the start of the briefing, acknowledged “one or two errors” made during the 2025 UTME.

Obi called for the reform of public institutions in the country to avoid sensitive glitches that might turn to a national crisis while speaking with some journalists in Awka on Thursday.

He commended the JAMB registrar, for his rare show of responsibility and accountability in admitting the error and expressing remorse.

Read Also: JUST IN: Obasanjo, Atiku, Obi, others grace Sule Lamido’s book launch in Abuja

Obi described the gesture as a commendable act but noted that such high glitch posed a deeper challenge that depicted fragility of Nigeria’s institutional systems.

Obi said the emotional and psychological toll on affected students remained massive.

“The reports of severe trauma and even death, show the critical need for reliability, carefulness and integrity in public examination processes of the country.

“ The failures of such glitches are not minor mishaps because it shakes the very foundations of trust in our public institutions,” he said.

He urged JAMB and similar bodies to adopt rigorous quality assurance frameworks, including continuous auditing of technical infrastructure, transparent communication, and rapid issue resolution.

According to him, there must be no room for further glitches either in JAMB, nor any arm of government.

“The cost of repeated failure is simply too high,” he said.

(NAN)

May 15, 2025
UTME: JAMB registrar demonstrated maturity, good leadership – Prof. Badejo

Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), has demonstrated maturity and good leadership by admitting that something went wrong with the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

“He readily showed empathy by agreeing truly that there was failure in the system and took responsibility, with corrective follow-up actions.

“Currently, what should be key are preventive solutions, such that there is no future recurrence of the underperformance at UTME,” a political scientist and lawyer, Prof. Babafemi Badejo, said.

Badejo, a former Deputy Special Representative for the UN Secretary-General for Somalia, spoke in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday.

“Despite the uproar over the 2025 UTME, it is important to recognise the integrity-driven leadership of Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, who has consistently fought corruption and pushed for reforms.

“However, even strong leadership needs to be adaptive and listen to the cries of the people,” he said.

He urged JAMB to continue fine-tune its operations to deliver excellently.

“It is good that the public reaction has met with responsible action from JAMB in this case.

“A calm, evidence-based review of the 2025 UTME is not only necessary, it is urgent,” he said.

Badejo said that Nigeria required massive digital literacy campaigns in secondary schools, especially rural ones.

“The 774 local governments, with more funding expected to result from the autonomy they are expected to have under the present dispensation, should invest in computer-based modern libraries.

“Private entities could also be encouraged to spend some of their corporate social responsibility funds on setting up computer-based libraries.

“Computer Based Test (CBT) simulation workshops should become mandatory for all candidates before Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), and similar examinations,” he said.

He added that an independent audit of CBT centres and software providers should be a regular duty of regulatory bodies, including JAMB.

“There has been a lot of brouhaha over the 2025 UTME results.

“Over two million candidates registered for the examination and about 1. 94 million sat for it.

“Over 75 per cent ( over 1.5 million) scored below 200. This development has not gone down well with parents and candidates who took to social media to express outrage,” he said.

The professor said that the 2025 UTME had become one of the most controversial in recent history.

According to him, the controversy is not just due to the number of candidates who scored below 200, but because of the complaints revolving around the efficiency of the system and the credibility of the results.

“The problem also raises critical questions about the examination process, integrity and educational equity,” he said.

He noted that the controversy was resulting in efforts aimed at understanding what could have gone wrong, if anything was indeed wrong.

“The 2025 UTME imbroglio throws up several issues that have been yearning for solutions.

“There has to be more readiness in embracing digital-only examinations, both on the part of the examining agencies, service providers and the service users or candidates.

“For instance, some supervisors noticed system malfunctions at CBT centres, freezing screens, login problems, and loss of answers.

“Some candidates were reportedly logged out without submitting or could not navigate between subjects,” he said.

He said that those were no faults of the candidates.

“Many candidates, especially from rural or low-income backgrounds, lacked basic computer literacy.

“A supervisor’s report highlighted that some candidates didn’t know how to operate a keyboard or mouse, much less navigate the CBT interface.

Read Also: Sanwo-Olu hails JAMB registrar

“In simple terminology, technological illiteracy or, at best, semi-illiteracy is yearning for solutions.

“Not many candidates or customers of JAMB grew up with the advantage of using computers as an everyday life item,” he said.

He said there had to be some middle ground for inclusivity.

“However, the answer is not to opt out of technological change but to come up with answers on how to democratise the availability of knowledge on technological change – the change that is spreading in our world to all Nigerian children who are actively motivated towards education.

“Though JAMB could play a role in deploying some of its earnings for such a purpose, the answer should involve society and its governance structures at large.

“We must be more intentional with issues that affect the destinies and future of young Nigerians,” he said.

He urged that UTME should not just be seen as a mere exercise, but as a very important platform – an important platform through which future technocrats and the crop of people who would take over the skilled manpower machinery of the country are practically filtered.

(NAN)

May 15, 2025