By Peter Omopo
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has urged the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to conduct an independent system audit following the technical glitch that marred the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Kalu made the call on Sunday in Abuja while addressing journalists on the controversy surrounding the examination, which was plagued by widespread failures affecting about 380,000 candidates.
The Deputy Speaker said the integrity of Nigeria’s educational assessment system has come under scrutiny, and the only way to restore public trust is through a transparent audit and comprehensive review of the technical failures.
“The events surrounding the 2025 UTME have shaken public confidence in one of the nation’s most critical gateways to opportunity,” Kalu said.
He acknowledged the apology and emotional response of JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, who broke down in tears while assuring affected candidates of a resit opportunity. While praising Oloyede’s acceptance of responsibility, Kalu stressed that accountability must go beyond apologies.
“The swift apology and the decision to offer retake opportunities reflect a commitment to fairness and justice,” he said. “However, this does not erase the trauma, disruption, and uncertainty experienced by candidates and their families.”
Kalu also expressed sorrow over reports that one candidate had committed suicide in the aftermath of the results.
Revealing findings from a preliminary technical review, Kalu stated that a critical system patch required for new shuffling and validation protocols was not deployed to server clusters servicing 157 examination centres, including some in Lagos and the South-East.
“One of the most critical discoveries made revolved around three major systemic changes introduced in the 2025 UTME,” he explained.
He noted that JAMB had transitioned from count-based to source-based analysis to evaluate test integrity. Additionally, the board implemented full-scale shuffling of both questions and answer options to prevent candidates from receiving identical permutations.
“These innovations, while commendable in intent, were not matched with adequate technical readiness, leading to the widespread failures witnessed,” Kalu said.
He urged JAMB to ensure that lessons are learned and reforms are instituted to prevent a recurrence, while also calling on stakeholders to prioritize transparency and technological preparedness in high-stakes national assessments.
