JAMB’s “Catastrophic Failure”: The Examination Body That Failed Its Own Test
400,000 Students Left in Limbo as Nigeria’s Gatekeepers of Higher Education Stumble
In what might be the most spectacular educational administrative failure in recent Nigerian history, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) now finds itself facing the same judgment it routinely passes on students: fail.
Representative Iduma Igariwey didn’t mince words during his appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today Tuesday evening, delivering a scathing indictment of JAMB’s handling of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and calling for its complete cancellation.
“The whole thing has lost its integrity. It has lost its fairness,” declared Igariwey, his voice carrying the frustration of thousands of constituents whose children and wards have become collateral damage in what he termed a “catastrophic institutional failure.”
A Disaster of Historic Proportions
The magnitude of JAMB’s misstep is unprecedented nearly 400,000 students who had already completed their examinations in April were suddenly informed they would need to retake them. Then came the coup de grâce: they had just 48 hours to prepare.
“That has never happened in the history of this country,” Igariwey emphasized, the weight of the historical comparison hanging in the air.
The chaos that ensued was entirely predictable. Reports flooded in from across the South-East of students unable to locate newly assigned centers, others arriving at designated venues only to be redirected elsewhere, and many ultimately unable to sit for the hastily arranged re-examination at all.
The “Glitch” That Shattered Dreams
JAMB’s explanation a “technical glitch” compounded by “human error” rings hollow against the backdrop of the lives and futures it has disrupted. These aren’t merely statistics; they represent real young Nigerians whose academic trajectories have been violently derailed.
For months, these students prepared for an examination that serves as the primary gateway to higher education in Nigeria. Many families invested scarce resources in extra lessons, study materials, and transportation to examination centers. Some candidates traveled significant distances, arranged temporary accommodations, or postponed other commitments all rendered meaningless by an institution that appears more concerned with “papering over” its failures than addressing them.
Beyond Apologies: The Call for Accountability
While JAMB Registrar Professor Ishaq Oloyede has offered apologies “We are human; we are not perfect” the South-East Caucus of the House of Representatives has demanded something far more consequential: his resignation.
In their statement, the lawmakers characterized the examination’s conduct as nothing short of a “national shame,” insisting that in “any civilized democracy,” leadership would bear the consequences of such a systemic failure.
The call for Oloyede’s resignation represents more than political posturing; it reflects a fundamental principle of governance that appears increasingly absent in Nigeria’s public institutions that those entrusted with significant responsibilities must be held accountable when they fail so spectacularly.
The Deeper Crisis: Trust Eroded
Perhaps most troubling in this unfolding drama is what it reveals about the state of Nigeria’s educational infrastructure. When JAMB reported that over 78% of the 1.95 million candidates scored below 200, with only 12,414 scoring 300 or above, it inadvertently raised a more profound question: Is this an indictment of students’ preparation, or of the system that evaluates them?
The revelation of 97 cases of examination malpractice and over 71,000 absentees further complicates this picture. How many of these “absentees” were actually students confused by last-minute center changes or unable to navigate the logistical labyrinth created by JAMB’s hasty rescheduling?
A Test for JAMB Itself
As the controversy continues to unfold, the South-East lawmakers’ demand for a complete cancellation and fresh examination represents more than procedural correction it’s a chance for JAMB to demonstrate whether it can meet the same standards of integrity and competence it demands from students.
The institution now faces its own high-stakes test: Can it acknowledge the depth of its failure, take meaningful corrective action, and restore trust in a process that shapes the futures of millions of young Nigerians each year?
For the nearly 400,000 affected candidates left in examination limbo, the answer to that question couldn’t be more consequential. Their futures hang in the balance while an institution created to serve them struggles to pass its own examination of competence and accountability.
Reference
JAMB’s “Catastrophic Failure”: The Examination Body That Failed Its Own Test