The Registrar and Chief Executive of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is’haq Oloyede, has clarified that his emotional response while taking responsibility for the issues experienced during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) should not be seen as a sign of weakness or an excuse to avoid his duties.
Oloyede made this statement on Wednesday in response to public backlash following technical difficulties that affected this year’s UTME. He had earlier acknowledged that the exam was marred by glitches, which negatively impacted the performance of many candidates.
Following the release of the UTME results, complaints of widespread failure emerged, prompting JAMB to commission IT experts to investigate the technical failures. Of the 1.9 million candidates who sat for the exam, over 1.5 million reportedly scored below 200 out of a possible 400 marks, sparking concern across the education sector.
Speaking during a meeting with Chief External Examiners, civil society organizations, and stakeholders from tertiary institutions, Oloyede criticized individuals who, despite lacking experience in managing small organizations, were publicly criticizing JAMB’s operations.
He said his willingness to accept responsibility stemmed from his longstanding record in examination administration and commitment to educational progress. He expressed frustration that critics who do not understand the Board’s internal operations were using national media platforms to mislead the public about the UTME’s outcome.
Oloyede also addressed the tragic report of a student allegedly taking their own life following the release of the UTME results. He asked the meeting participants to observe a minute of silence in the candidate’s memory, noting how deeply the incident affected him.
“As the head of JAMB, I don’t focus on where any of our staff comes from. What matters is that they’ve consistently done their work over the years,” he said. “My emotional moment was not a weakness, nor does it absolve us of our responsibilities. But let’s not allow opportunists to exploit the situation under the guise of concern.”
Oloyede concluded by announcing that all candidates who were unable to take the exam due to technical issues would be given another opportunity to write it.