In a rare and emotional public admission, the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede, publicly apologized to Nigerians over the widespread poor performance of candidates in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). “On behalf of JAMB, I say I am sorry to all Nigerians,” he stated, acknowledging the Board’s role in the debacle.
This statement marked a significant shift from earlier claims by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, who had attributed the mass failure to stringent anti-malpractice measures implemented by JAMB. Oloyede, however, clarified that despite the Board’s thorough preparations, unforeseen technical glitches undermined the process — a direct contradiction of the Minister’s stance.
This discrepancy has fueled criticism of leadership practices in Nigeria, with some observers pointing out the tendency of public officials to jump to conclusions without adequate investigation. Despite the high-profile nature of JAMB’s admission, the Minister of Education has remained silent more than three days after the Registrar’s statement, prompting public concern over the government’s responsiveness and transparency.
The incident has sparked a wave of reactions from education stakeholders and rights advocates, who insist that JAMB’s apology is not enough. Omole Ibukun, a key figure in the education sector and Initiator of the Creative Change Centre, emphasized that the issue must not be swept aside simply because the Registrar took responsibility. He argued that the root cause of repeated failures lies in the deep structural problems within the nation’s educational system — particularly the chronic underfunding of education and examination infrastructure.
Ibukun warned that failure to address these foundational issues would only perpetuate the cycle of disappointment for future generations. “The effect of the technical glitches in the just-concluded UTME cannot be forgiven and forgotten just because the JAMB Registrar acknowledged responsibility and cried on national media,” he said. “We must pursue democratic oversight involving students, parents, and the public to reform the examination process.”
Adaramoye Michael Lenin, the National Mobilization Officer of the Education Rights Campaign (ERC), echoed these sentiments, stating that Oloyede’s emotional display was insufficient to account for what he described as systemic inefficiency. He contended that JAMB’s admission was forced by public outrage, and if not for that, the board might have continued deflecting blame onto students.
Lenin criticized JAMB’s initial reaction to the poor results, accusing the board of arrogance and failure to conduct a proper review before releasing the results. “The Registrar and his team initially mocked the students and declared them unserious, without admitting their own faults. The recent admission shows that they prioritized their image over due diligence.”
Meanwhile, the Youth Rights Campaign has acknowledged JAMB’s decision to offer a retake for the 379,997 affected candidates from Lagos and Southeast states, including Imo, Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Anambra. However, they expressed concern over the short notice for the rescheduled exams, slated to begin on May 16. Many of the affected students are currently sitting for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), making the overlap problematic.
The group argued that while the WASSCE and UTME share similar syllabi, they are distinctly different in structure and preparation demands. “UTME requires students to take four subjects in one sitting, unlike WASSCE where subjects are taken individually. Therefore, the fresh UTME should be postponed until after the conclusion of SSCE in June,” the group proposed.
In addition to scheduling adjustments, the group also called on JAMB to offer financial compensation to all affected candidates. “Given JAMB’s focus on revenue generation through exam fees and related charges, it is only fair that the Board bears the cost of its failure by compensating candidates for logistics and other losses incurred,” the ERC said.
As public scrutiny intensifies, the silence from the Ministry of Education continues to raise questions about accountability in Nigeria’s education sector. Stakeholders insist that genuine reform — not just emotional apologies — is necessary to restore credibility to the country’s examination systems and safeguard the future of its youth.
