The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Examination Bodies has revealed that the crisis surrounding the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results was the result of human error, not a technical failure as earlier claimed by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, the committee chairman, Hon. Oboku Oforji, stated that preliminary investigations by the committee indicate that negligence on the part of JAMB officials led to the disruption, which affected the results of over 300,000 candidates nationwide.
JAMB released the results of the 2025 UTME on May 9. However, the unusually poor performance of candidates sparked nationwide protests and widespread criticism. Over 78 per cent of candidates reportedly scored below 200 out of a maximum of 400 points, raising questions about the credibility of the examination process.
Earlier, JAMB Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede had attributed the issue to a “technical error” caused by server disruptions at 157 examination centres, primarily in Lagos and the South-East.
According to Oloyede, a service provider’s faulty update led to the failure to upload candidates’ responses during the first three days of the examination. Consequently, 379,997 candidates were scheduled to retake the exam between May 16 and May 19.
However, the House committee has dismissed the explanation of a technical fault, insisting that the failure was due to preventable human oversight.
“We have found no conclusive evidence to suggest a technical breakdown,” Oforji said. “What occurred was human error—an act of negligence by JAMB and its partners.”
The committee, while acknowledging the JAMB registrar’s apology and openness in addressing the issue, emphasised that such errors were avoidable.
“The committee recognises the courage and sincerity of the JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, for accepting responsibility. However, these human errors were avoidable and must be treated with the seriousness they deserve,” Oforji said.
The committee called for an independent and thorough investigation into the matter and proposed a number of reforms to improve the examination body’s operations.
It also commended Nigerian students for their resilience and commitment to education despite the challenges.
THE WHISTLER reported that the South-East caucus of the House of Representatives also demanded the resignation of the JAMB registrar and called for the cancellation of the UTME, urging that a fresh examination be conducted.