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.

The Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) Effurun, has matriculated a total of 1,625 students in her 2024/2025 academic session, with a charge to exhibit good character.

The ceremony, held on Friday in Effurun, Delta, was a combined matriculation of the Full time and School of Industrial Continuing Education Programme students.

Addressing the matriculants, Dr Samuel Onoji, the Principal and Chief Executive of the PTI urged the students to exhibit good character while in the institute.

Onoji, while congratulating the matriculants, warned that the institute had zero tolerance for social vices.

He mentioned some of the social vices to include: examination misconduct, physical and sexual assault, indecent dressing, prostitution, cultism, stealing, certificate forgery, bullying and harassment.

Onoji advised the students to be focused and determined, curious and innovative, respectful and responsible and be proactively engaged in extracurricular activities in the institute.

Onoji also encouraged the students to access the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) programme of the federal government to alleviate their financial needs.

He said that the institute received her first NELFUND disbursement on Feb. 11, 2025, adding that the beneficiaries had been paid.

The PTI boss said the institute was dedicated to training middle level manpower for the oil and gas industry.

“Today marks a significant milestone in your academic journey, and I am delighted to share this experience with you.

“PTI has established international collaborations and partnership that enhance our curriculum, facilities and research capabilities that are industry-focused and aligned with the industry to address identified skill gap in the oil sector.

“Our programmes are designed to equip you with the knowledge, skills and competencies required to excel in dynamic and highly technical fields,” he said.

Onoji urged the students to uphold the highest behavioral standard, respect, and integrity in line with the rules and regulations of the institute.

The PTI boss emphasised the importance of hard work and dedication, saying that the oil and gas industry was highly competitive and dynamic.

He said that the campus was a safe and inclusive environment that promoted learning, growth and personal development.

Onoji assured parents of the matriculants that the institute was committed to providing a supportive and inclusive environment that would enhance academic excellence, personal growth and character development.

One of the matriculants, Mr Monday Ejiroghene, thanked his parents and the institute for the admission and promised to justify the confidence reposed on him by way of exhibiting good character.

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.