Lagos, Nigeria — Parents of students affected by a technical glitch in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) are calling for a postponement of the resit scheduled for today to June 2025. The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) announced the resit will begin on May 16, 2025, following an error that impacted over 300,000 candidates.
In a message posted on its official X account, JAMB stated that affected candidates would need to reprint their examination slips ahead of the rescheduled exams. One impacted student shared a notification he received, indicating a resit for today at noon.
Parents have voiced their concerns during interviews, highlighting the emotional strain on students, the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), and the challenges posed by travel distance to exam centers. JAMB’s Registrar, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, acknowledged the glitch at a press conference and expressed remorse for the impact on students.
“I appeal to candidates affected by our system’s error to accept this explanation without embellishment. I take full responsibility,” he stated, noting the issue affected 157 centers in Lagos and the Southeast. The glitch impacted 206,610 candidates across 65 centers in Lagos and 173,387 candidates in 92 centers in Southeast states.
Oloyede explained that the problem was rooted in a failed server update and reassured candidates they could retake the exams between May 16 and May 18, 2025. However, parents like Bukola Omoniyi are frustrated. “You can’t say the children have to sit the examination immediately. They are currently busy with WAEC,” he said. His child is in Oyo State with a center in Lagos.
Another parent, Aisha Okikiola, is equally distressed. Her child is preparing for UTME while also juggling WASSCE studies. “It’s confusing for them,” she commented. “We are asking that JAMB postpone till June after WAEC.”
An anonymous principal from a Catholic school in Enugu expressed concern, stating that their students are feeling the pressure of overlapping exams. “It would be kind if JAMB could shift this examination to June for student safety,” she said.
Felix Onuoha, a parent in Imo, echoed the call for a postponement, emphasizing students should not face consequences for a failure that was not their fault. Meanwhile, the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) has urged parents to cooperate with JAMB for a successful resit, expressing understanding for the traumatic experience candidates have undergone.
“What happened is painful to all. JAMB has acknowledged its mistake,” said NAPTAN President Haruna Danjuma. “We plead for cooperation to make the resit a success.” JAMB spokesperson Dr. Fabian Benjamin has yet to respond to parents’ demands.
This year, over 1.9 million candidates completed the UTME, with 1.5 million scoring below 200 points out of a possible 400. The House of Representatives is now investigating the technical error, instigated by a motion from lawmaker Adewale Adebayo.
Adebayo stated that many students have experienced losses related to traveling long distances to their centers. Some representatives supported the registrar’s admission of error. The House’s decision followed a motion that was unanimously approved.
The National Orientation Agency and the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria have praised JAMB for its transparency in dealing with the UTME issue, while also calling for appropriate remedies for affected candidates. The NOA suggested compensation for the anxiety and stress caused by the glitches.
The Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria also called attention to the need for JAMB to protect religious freedoms in examination settings and stressed the importance of accountability for negligence in the examination process.
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