The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced plans to organize a special make-up examination for candidates who were unable to participate in the recently concluded Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). This initiative is aimed at ensuring fairness and equal opportunity for all registered candidates, particularly the estimated 5.6% who missed the examination for various reasons.

Speaking during a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, JAMB Registrar, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, emphasized that this additional mop-up examination is a departure from the board’s usual practice of holding just one nationwide mop-up for candidates affected by technical or administrative issues. In this instance, however, JAMB is extending the gesture to anyone who missed the exam, regardless of the reason, to ensure inclusivity and uphold the integrity of the admission process. Oloyede likened the move to a common academic practice where students are given opportunities to retake missed assessments, while also assuring that measures would be in place to prevent abuse of the system.

The registrar took the opportunity to address and dismiss allegations of bias or administrative incompetence. He reiterated that JAMB operates transparently and without ethnic or regional favoritism. According to Oloyede, any disruptions during the examination period were operational mishaps, not intentional failures, and he defended the efforts of his team in managing a complex nationwide exam.

Furthermore, he clarified the true purpose of the UTME, stating that it is a placement test used to rank candidates for available spots in tertiary institutions. It is not designed to serve as an absolute measure of intelligence or academic prowess, but rather to help allocate limited educational resources in a fair and systematic manner.

This decision reflects JAMB’s continued commitment to fairness, access, and integrity in Nigeria’s higher education admissions process.