The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede was emotional on Wednesday as he publicly accepted responsibility for the widespread technical issues and poor performance recorded in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Speaking at a press conference, Prof. Oloyede revealed that 379,997 candidates will be required to retake the UTME due to the disruptions and irregularities that marred the initial exercise.
Fighting back tears and visibly distressed, the registrar acknowledged failures within the system, attributing them to lapses on the part of JAMB staff. “I take full responsibility,” he said, while wiping his face with a handkerchief during the briefing.
According to him, candidates from 65 centres in Lagos and 92 centres within the Owerri Zone, which covers five states in the South-East, will sit for a fresh examination. The decision follows a wave of complaints over technical hitches, unusually low scores, and alleged irregularities during the conduct of the exam.
Prof. Oloyede assured the public that the board is taking urgent steps to address the failures and prevent future occurrences, emphasizing JAMB’s commitment to fairness and credibility in the examination process.
