The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has assured candidates affected by disruptions in the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, that they will be given new dates to sit for the test.
JAMB’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr Fabian Benjamin, gave the assurance on Friday, during an oversight visit by the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund to selected Computer-Based Test, CBT, centres.
The visit followed complaints from candidates and parents at the Good Success CBT Centre in Utako, where technical issues reportedly hindered the smooth conduct of the examination.
Benjamin acknowledged the challenges but said such occurrences were not unexpected in a nationwide exercise involving hundreds of centres.
He emphasised that the Board had already activated measures to address the situation.
“In a large-scale operation like this, occasional technical glitches are inevitable. What is important is the response mechanism.
“Every candidate affected will be rescheduled to write the examination at another time and, where necessary, at a different centre,” he said.
He further assured that no registered candidate would be denied the opportunity to sit the examination, noting that JAMB’s mop-up exercise would accommodate those unable to take their tests due to disruptions.
According to him, only a small number of the 957 centres deployed nationwide had encountered such setbacks.
Also speaking, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, Mohammed Dandutse, said the committee had observed both improvements and challenges in the conduct of the examination across the country.
He noted that while progress had been recorded, the technical issues required urgent attention, adding that the committee would carry out a comprehensive review to prevent recurrence.
“We have directed JAMB to take immediate corrective steps to ensure that affected candidates are given the opportunity to sit their examinations.
“As part of our oversight responsibility, we will also examine the entire process to strengthen its efficiency going forward,” Dandutse said.
He stressed that candidates should not be subjected to avoidable stress or financial strain due to operational lapses, underscoring the need for fully functional CBT centres nationwide.
Despite the reassurances, some parents and candidates expressed dissatisfaction over the disruptions and the financial implications.
A parent, Mr. David Afolanyo, questioned why recurring technical issues had not been resolved ahead of the exercise, lamenting the cost incurred by families who had to travel to examination centres without being able to sit for the test.
Similarly, a candidate, Eunice Peter, who travelled from Kaduna, described her experience as frustrating after failing to take the examination on two consecutive days due to technical problems.
“I spent money on transport and accommodation, only to be told the exam has been rescheduled again. It’s quite discouraging,” she said.
JAMB, however, reiterated its commitment to ensuring that all candidates are given a fair chance to participate, while efforts continue to minimise disruptions and improve the overall conduct of the examination nationwide.
