Former Minister of Aviation and public policy advocate, Osita Chidoka, has commended the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for what he described as a rare and commendable act of public accountability following disruptions in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
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In a statement issued on Wednesday, Chidoka hailed JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, for taking full responsibility and offering an emotional, heartfelt apology over the technical failures that marred examinations at 157 centres across Lagos and the five South-East states — Anambra, Imo, Abia, Ebonyi, and Enugu — affecting a total of 379,997 candidates out of the 1.9 million who registered for the nationwide examination.
According to JAMB, the affected candidates will now retake the examination between Friday, May 16, and Monday, May 19, 2025. The new schedule was agreed upon in collaboration with the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), which is currently conducting its own examinations.
“Unlike many other public agencies that default to the all-too-familiar refrain of ‘Go to court,’ JAMB acknowledged its shortcomings, invited critical stakeholders for dialogue, and opened its internal processes to external scrutiny,” Chidoka said.
He described JAMB’s response as a demonstration of institutional empathy and integrity, setting a standard for other government agencies in handling public failures.
“To the students affected, I extend my solidarity and best wishes for the upcoming retest. You are not alone,” Chidoka added.
He also reiterated the commitment of his organisation, the Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership, to using data and evidence to hold institutions accountable, spotlight governance failures, and call out those responsible.
JAMB’s swift action and transparent response to the crisis have been widely lauded, coming amid growing concerns over the conduct and outcome of the 2025 UTME, in which over 1.5 million candidates reportedly scored below 200 out of a maximum of 400 marks.
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