A South West Chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, (NNPP), Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo has descended on the Management of the Joint Admission And Matriculation Board, (JAMB) over shoddy handling of this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, ( UTME), saying they are not fit to occupy the offices they are holding.
It would be recalled that there were reports of a candidate who scored 150 in the Joint Matriculation examinations, but days after the examination, he checked again following public outcry and found out that his mark had been reduced to 120.
Also, at Odogunyan in Ikorodu Area of Lagos State, one Faith, 19 years allegedly killed herself with poison. She had scored 190 and could not understand the reason having read day and night.
However, on Wednesday, JAMB acknowledged discrepancies in the results of some candidates who took the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME).
JAMB’s Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, addressed the findings, apologizing for the errors and taking full responsibility.
He announced that candidates from 157 out of 882 examination centers would be given a chance to retake the test, with the rescheduled exams starting on Friday, 16 May 2025.
Ajadi in a statement on Friday condemned the shoddy conduct of the examination which is the only avenue for millions of students to gain admission into Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education.
Ajadi said the excuse by the JAMB Registrar and his apology cannot save those who have died and millions of students whose future are being destroyed, noting that the rescheduled resit for the affected students within a short time is not the best way for students to prepare for examination.
He called on the Federal Government through the Ministry of Education to institute a probe of the JAMB activities which led to the recent embarrassment, saying those found culpable should be punished.
According to the statement, ” The recent admission of error by JAMB in the conduct of this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, ( UTME) is an embarrassment to the nation. JAMB has through its inefficiency caused sorrow for families who lost their loved ones as a result of frustration in the recent conduct of exam.
“While I sympathise with the families who lost their loved ones and millions whose children’s future have been trampled upon, I call on government to get to the root of the matter. Government should also consider a means to decentralize the Matriculation Examination in the country as it seems that JAMB is overburdened. The resit Examination should not be rushed. JAMB should give more time to avoid similar mistakes.”.
