The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced it will release the results of 379,000 candidates who participated in the rescheduled Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) on Wednesday. These candidates sat for the make-up exam between Friday and Monday after widespread complaints about mass failure and technical issues during the initial UTME.
The resit was ordered following JAMB’s admission of technical and human errors especially in Lagos and the South-East which significantly impacted candidates’ performances. JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, publicly accepted responsibility for the failures, even shedding tears during the announcement of the rescheduled exams.
Out of the 1.9 million candidates who sat for the original exam, over 1.5 million scored below 200 out of a possible 400, sparking concern among stakeholders. Investigations by JAMB revealed system failures that led to the mass underperformance.
Speaking with The PUNCH on Monday, JAMB spokesperson Dr. Fabian Benjamin confirmed the rescheduled results would be released on Wednesday. “The results of the candidates who took the rescheduled exam will be released on Wednesday,” he said.
According to Prof. Oloyede, a total of 379,997 candidates were affected, 206,610 in 65 centres across Lagos, and 173,387 in 92 centres across the South-East. He described the disruptions as deliberate acts of “sabotage.” Affected candidates were notified of the resit via SMS starting last Thursday.
Statistics from the original UTME indicate only 4,756 candidates (0.24%) scored 320 and above, while 7,658 (0.39%) scored between 300 and 319. In total, just 12,414 candidates (0.63%) achieved scores of 300 or higher.
Further analysis revealed:
73,441 candidates (3.76%) scored between 250–299.
334,560 (17.11%) scored between 200–249.
983,187 (50.29%) scored between 160–199, widely considered the minimum threshold for university admission.
488,197 (24.97%) scored between 140–159.
57,419 (2.94%) between 120–139.
3,820 (0.20%) between 100–119.
2,031 (0.10%) scored below 100.
More than 75% of candidates scored below 200, sparking national debate over the fairness and reliability of the examination process.
Meanwhile, the South-East Caucus in the House of Representatives on Monday called for the immediate resignation of the JAMB Registrar, citing a “catastrophic institutional failure” in the conduct of the 2025 UTME. In a statement signed by Hon. Iduma Igariwey (PDP, Ebonyi), the lawmakers criticised poor communication, short notice for the rescheduled exam, and clashes with the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), all of which they say caused undue hardship for students and their families.
The statement reads in part: “On May 14, 2025, the Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, admitted that a ‘technical glitch’ affected approximately 379,997 candidates during the UTME. All five South-East states were directly impacted by these so-called ‘score distortions.’”
The lawmakers urged JAMB to cancel the 2025 UTME entirely and schedule a new exam after the conclusion of the ongoing WAEC and NECO examinations. They also demanded the suspension of officials responsible for the digital and logistical operations of JAMB, insisting that accountability must go beyond public apologies.
“While we appreciate Prof. Oloyede’s transparency, the measures taken so far fall short of our constituents’ expectations. Students in the South-East were given less than 48 hours’ notice for the rescheduled exam, which in many cases clashed with WAEC exams, leading to low turnout and further confusion,” the caucus said.
Citing Section 18(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees equal and adequate educational opportunities for all, the lawmakers argued that the flawed execution of the 2025 UTME has effectively denied thousands of students especially in the South-East their constitutional right to education.
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