JAMB in Crisis: Secret Exam Leaves Thousands of Candidates Betrayed and Abandoned
ABUJA, NIGERIA Outrage is sweeping across Nigeria’s education landscape following shocking revelations that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) conducted a rescheduled mop-up examination on Saturday, June 28, 2025, without public notice, leaving thousands of 2025 UTME candidates uninformed, unprepared, and ultimately disenfranchised.
One of the affected candidates, Isaiah Godwin, shared with thedailycourierng news an official email he received from JAMB which read:
“Dear Isaiah Godwin, Reg Number: 202***********1IF, You are being rescheduled for the mop-up exam. Details of the examination will be sent in due course.”
But no further details were ever sent. No SMS. No follow-up email. No announcement on JAMB’s official platforms. The only update came after the secret mop-up exam had already taken place.
Widespread Silence, Broken Trust
Candidates across the country are now coming forward with similar experiences, left in the dark with no access to critical exam details.
“This is the biggest mistake I’ve made, registering for JAMB in 2025,” Isaiah lamented. “I followed up every day. I waited for the exam details, but nothing ever came. Then I heard the exam has been written behind our backs.”
Education experts have condemned JAMB’s conduct, labelling it a gross violation of transparency, accountability, and fairness.
“This is not just a communication failure. It is a structural breach of duty and a disservice to young Nigerians. These students have a constitutional right to fair and equal access to education and national exams.”
Similarly, legal experts have questioned the legality of holding a government examination in secret, warning that affected candidates may have grounds for legal redress.
Where Is JAMB’s Explanation?
As of press time, JAMB has not issued any official statement explaining:
Why the exam date was not publicly announced
How notifications were sent, if at all
How many students were affected
Whether a second mop-up will be scheduled
The agency’s silence has only deepened suspicion and public anger.
Call for Urgent Government Intervention
Civil society organisations, parents, and educational rights groups are now demanding urgent intervention from the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Assembly.
“This cannot be swept under the carpet, We are dealing with institutional failure at a national level. There must be accountability, and those responsible must be held to task.”
A Future at Risk
As tertiary institutions begin admissions processes for the 2025/2026 academic session, thousands of candidates who missed the unannounced mop-up exam now face the grim reality of being left behind, not because they failed, but because they were never told when to show up.
The question now burning across Nigeria’s student population is simple: Can JAMB still be trusted to manage the nation’s most critical academic gateway?
We call on JAMB to immediately publish a list of all affected candidates, release an official explanation for the unannounced mop-up exam, and offer another fair rescheduling. Anything less would be a betrayal of Nigeria’s future.
JAMB in Crisis: Secret Exam Leaves Thousands of Candidates Betrayed and Abandoned