When the Gatekeeper Fumbles: JAMB’s Error and the Future of Our Youth

By Matthew Eloyi

It is not every day that a public official publicly sheds tears. And so, when the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede, broke down while admitting to errors in the conduct of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), it was a deeply emotional moment. But make no mistake: while the tears may have reflected remorse, they cannot wash away the consequences of what is, quite frankly, a systemic failure.

Let us be clear — JAMB is not merely an examination body. It is a gatekeeper to higher education in Nigeria. It is the bridge between dreams and their realisation for millions of young Nigerians. To fumble that responsibility is not a technical error; it is a breach of trust with life-altering consequences.

With nearly 380,000 candidates now required to retake the exam due to technical glitches and irregularities, one cannot help but ask: How did we get here? And more importantly, why does this keep happening?

For years, JAMB has marketed its transition to computer-based testing as a step toward modernisation. Yet each year seems to expose new cracks in its implementation — from faulty computer systems and power outages to incomplete biometric verification and poorly configured questions. These are not unforeseeable anomalies. They are predictable outcomes of poor planning, lack of oversight, and inadequate investment in infrastructure.

Imagine the psychological toll on the students, many of whom studied day and night, only to be met with malfunctioning systems and flawed questions. Some walked out of examination halls in tears, their confidence shattered, their futures placed in limbo. For those in remote or under-resourced areas, the technical errors are compounded by infrastructural and economic disadvantages. What we are witnessing is not just an exam failure; it is an institutional failure that amplifies inequality.

JAMB’s decision to allow affected candidates a resit is necessary, but it is insufficient. What about those who may never realize they were victims of the glitch? What about those whose faith in the process has been irreparably broken?

Professor Oloyede’s tears may have been sincere, but what Nigerian students need now is not emotion — it is accountability. Heads must roll, systems must be overhauled, and the entire structure must be audited. We cannot allow a body that plays such a pivotal role in shaping the nation’s intellectual future to operate with such recklessness.

The UTME is a rite of passage for Nigerian students; it should not become a roulette of misfortune. Until JAMB can guarantee a glitch-free, fair, and standardised assessment, its credibility will remain on shaky ground.

In the end, our children deserve better. They deserve an education system that works; not one that breaks down and apologises after the damage is done.

Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State, has expelled a student, Goddy-Mbakwe Chimamaka Precious, for assaulting a lecturer in the Department of Theatre and Film Studies.

The decision, conveyed in an official expulsion letter dated February 13, 2025, was signed by the Acting Registrar, Mr. Victor I. Modebelu.

The university stated that the expulsion followed recommendations from the Student Disciplinary Committee, which found Precious guilty of gross misconduct in violation of the institution’s disciplinary regulations, specifically Regulation 4 (SDR).

The incident, which sparked widespread outrage after a viral video surfaced online, reportedly involved Precious attacking Dr. Chukwudi Okoye, a lecturer in the department. Sources indicate that the altercation ensued after the lecturer interrupted a TikTok video she was recording on campus.

The expulsion letter, which confirmed the university’s zero-tolerance stance on indiscipline, directed Precious to vacate the school premises immediately and return any university property in her possession.

“The Ag. Vice-Chancellor has received the report from the Student Disciplinary Committee on the case of your assault on a lecturer from the Department of Theatre and Film Studies, which was found to be a gross misconduct and violation of the Students Disciplinary Regulations, particularly Regulation 4 (SDR).

“Consequently, the Ag. Vice-Chancellor has, on behalf of the University Senate, approved the Committee’s recommendation that you be expelled, and you are hereby expelled from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. The expulsion takes immediate effect.

“You are expected to vacate the University premises immediately and return any University property in your possession,” the letter stated.

This development reinforces UNIZIK’s commitment to maintaining discipline and academic integrity within the institution.

The Adamawa State Government has launched a gender policy on education aimed at increasing girls’ access to quality learning opportunities.

Unveiled in Yola on Friday by the Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Dr. Garba Pella, the policy was developed in partnership with the Jamal Hakeem Foundation and with support from the Malala Fund.

Represented by Mrs. Mary Yuwadi, Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics at the Ministry of Education, Pella emphasized the policy’s focus on promoting gender equity in education.

“The goal of the policy is to build a just society devoid of discrimination, where women, men, girls, and boys are equitably integrated into all sectors of national development.

“It also aims to empower girls and women by equipping them with the necessary skills and knowledge to participate fully in society and achieve their potential,” he stated.

The commissioner reaffirmed the government’s commitment to integrating gender-responsive strategies into its education policies. These include encouraging gender-inclusive teaching techniques, forming gender clubs, and implementing measures to enhance girls’ school enrollment and retention.

Mr. Joel Jutum, Lead Consultant for Education Policy Development at the Jamal Hakeem Foundation, disclosed that the policy would be implemented over a three-year period, followed by a review and evaluation.

He stressed the need for effective execution, noting that, “The government is mandated to formulate policies, but we have domesticated the National Policy on Education to address specific gender issues in Adamawa.

“This way, policy implementers in the state can better understand the document and take necessary actions to narrow gender gaps in education.”

Jutum further highlighted major challenges affecting girls’ education in the state, including limited access to schooling, early and forced marriages, inadequate girls-only schools, and a shortage of female mentors.

He expressed optimism that the implementation of the policy would help eliminate these barriers and foster gender equality in education.