Latest news with #UnifiedTertiaryMatriculationExamination
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Blank questions, power cuts and a suicide: Nigeria's exams fiasco
The body which runs Nigeria's university-entrance exams has admitted to a "technical glitch" which compromised some results of this year's tests, after nearly 80% of students got low grades. Students have complained about not being able to log in to the computers, questions not showing up and power cuts making it impossible to take the examinations. The low pass rate has sparked widespread outrage, especially after one candidate took her own life. Faith Opesusi Timileyin, 19, who was aspiring to study microbiology at university, died after swallowing poison, her family said. Her father and elder sister told the BBC that she had sat the exam for the second time and got 146 marks out of 400, lower than the 193 she had last year. "The pain made her take her own life," her father, Oluwafemi Opesusi, told BBC Pidgin. Generally 200 or above out of 400 is enough to get a place in university in the exams run by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (Jamb). Only 400,000 of the 1.9 million students achieved that mark, one of the worst performances in recent years. One student, Favour Eke, told BBC Igbo that 10 of the 165 questions didn't appear on the screen - all she could see was the multiple choice options for the answers. "We were told to omit the blank questions and continue the exam but it was very hard to concentrate after that," she said. She has also experienced technical problems getting her results, meaning she is very unlikely to get into university this year - the third time she has taken the exams. She sat the test in the capital, Abuja, which is not one of the centres where students can retake their exams, leaving her completely distraught. Another student said he had trouble logging in to the computer before someone else's profile mysteriously appeared on the screen, showing different questions and then the machine briefly shut down completely. "I did not get to answer all the questions when they told us our time was up because a lot of my time was wasted due to those technical difficulties," he said. The exams body has apologised for the "painful damage" and "the trauma that it has subjected affected Nigerians". In a press conference, Jamb registrar Ishaq Oloyede broke down in tears as he apologised. He announced that almost 380,000 candidates in 157 affected centres from a total of 887, would be able to retake their exams starting from Saturday. The zones that are most affected are Lagos and several states in the south-east. Jamb blamed a failure of the computer system to upload exam responses by candidates in these areas during the first days of the exams. It said an "unusual level of public concerns and loud complaints" had "prompted us to do an immediate audit or review". Ordinarily, this would have happened in June, it said. The national exam, known as the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), is a computer-based test that is a requirement for those joining universities and other tertiary institutions. The 2025 test, which was conducted in March, was marred by disruptions due to power outages in some areas. The head of the exams body earlier this week defended the poor results, saying they reflected the "true academic abilities" of the students and were because of a clampdown on cheating. Many Nigerians on social media have been calling for accountability, with some seeking Oloyede's resignation. Opposition figure Peter Obi said that while the admission of fault was commendable, the issue raised "a very concerning issue on glitches and the grave havoc" in critical institutions. Rights activist Rinu Oduala said it was "incompetence. It's educational sabotage. He should be arrested immediately." Additional reporting by Chukwunaeme Obiejesi, Andrew Gift, Madina Maishanu and Marvelous Obomanu in Nigeria 'I screamed': Nigerian Doctor Who fan thrilled show is coming to Lagos Husband of late Nigerian gospel singer sentenced to death Nigerians fear savings lost as investment app freezes them out Nigerian bandit kingpin and 100 followers killed Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Africa Daily Focus on Africa
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Blank questions, power cuts and a suicide: Nigeria's exams fiasco
The body which runs Nigeria's university-entrance exams has admitted to a "technical glitch" which compromised some results of this year's tests, after nearly 80% of students got low grades. Students have complained about not being able to log in to the computers, questions not showing up and power cuts making it impossible to take the examinations. The low pass rate has sparked widespread outrage, especially after one candidate took her own life. Faith Opesusi Timileyin, 19, who was aspiring to study microbiology at university, died after swallowing poison, her family said. Her father and elder sister told the BBC that she had sat the exam for the second time and got 146 marks out of 400, lower than the 193 she had last year. "The pain made her take her own life," her father, Oluwafemi Opesusi, told BBC Pidgin. Generally 200 or above out of 400 is enough to get a place in university in the exams run by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (Jamb). Only 400,000 of the 1.9 million students achieved that mark, one of the worst performances in recent years. One student, Favour Eke, told BBC Igbo that 10 of the 165 questions didn't appear on the screen - all she could see was the multiple choice options for the answers. "We were told to omit the blank questions and continue the exam but it was very hard to concentrate after that," she said. She has also experienced technical problems getting her results, meaning she is very unlikely to get into university this year - the third time she has taken the exams. She sat the test in the capital, Abuja, which is not one of the centres where students can retake their exams, leaving her completely distraught. Another student said he had trouble logging in to the computer before someone else's profile mysteriously appeared on the screen, showing different questions and then the machine briefly shut down completely. "I did not get to answer all the questions when they told us our time was up because a lot of my time was wasted due to those technical difficulties," he said. The exams body has apologised for the "painful damage" and "the trauma that it has subjected affected Nigerians". In a press conference, Jamb registrar Ishaq Oloyede broke down in tears as he apologised. He announced that almost 380,000 candidates in 157 affected centres from a total of 887, would be able to retake their exams starting from Saturday. The zones that are most affected are Lagos and several states in the south-east. Jamb blamed a failure of the computer system to upload exam responses by candidates in these areas during the first days of the exams. It said an "unusual level of public concerns and loud complaints" had "prompted us to do an immediate audit or review". Ordinarily, this would have happened in June, it said. The national exam, known as the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), is a computer-based test that is a requirement for those joining universities and other tertiary institutions. The 2025 test, which was conducted in March, was marred by disruptions due to power outages in some areas. The head of the exams body earlier this week defended the poor results, saying they reflected the "true academic abilities" of the students and were because of a clampdown on cheating. Many Nigerians on social media have been calling for accountability, with some seeking Oloyede's resignation. Opposition figure Peter Obi said that while the admission of fault was commendable, the issue raised "a very concerning issue on glitches and the grave havoc" in critical institutions. Rights activist Rinu Oduala said it was "incompetence. It's educational sabotage. He should be arrested immediately." Additional reporting by Chukwunaeme Obiejesi, Andrew Gift, Madina Maishanu and Marvelous Obomanu in Nigeria 'I screamed': Nigerian Doctor Who fan thrilled show is coming to Lagos Husband of late Nigerian gospel singer sentenced to death Nigerians fear savings lost as investment app freezes them out Nigerian bandit kingpin and 100 followers killed Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Africa Daily Focus on Africa
BBC News
07-02-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Goment deny scrapping of JSS and SSS – but wetin be 12-year basic education dem dey propose?
Nigeria goment say no be true say dem wan scrap di Junior Secondary School (JSS) and di Senior Secondary School (SSS). Dis dey come afta Nigeria goment through di Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa bin propose twelve years of basic education on Thursday for di Extraordinary National Council of Education (NCE) meeting for Abuja, Nigeria capital. For statement wey di tok-tok pesin for di Federal Ministry of Education, Folashade Boriowo bring out on Friday, di ministry tok say dem just present di proposal for discussion, no be say e go happun sharp-sharp. Di ministry describe di tori say Nigeria goment don scrap JSS and SSS as misleading. "Tori wey suggest say di Federal Goment don scrap Junior Secondary School (JSS) and Senior Secondary School (SSS) and replace dem wit a new 12-year uninterrupted basic education model no be true. We wish to categorically tok say dis no be true," Di statement add say "Di proposal dey seek to move to 12 years of compulsory education but we go still keep di current 6-3-3 structure," According to di tok-tok pesin for di ministry, di aim of di proposal na to remove di barriers wey dey between JSS and SSS. Dem tok say e go allow "a smooth transition of students witout di challenge of any external assessment at any stage. Howeva, e still be subject of consultation and deliberation". Di ministry say dem go still do tok-tok wit stakeholders bifor dem go make final decision on di proposal. "Di final decision on weda to adopt dis reform or not go happun for October 2025 National Council on Education Meeting." di statement conclude. For August 2024, di former Minister of Education for Nigeria Tahir Mamman bin bring a similar policy. Im bin announce say dem no go allow underage candidates write di Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations (SSCE). E bin mean say if any pikin age no reach di approved age limit dem no go qualify to write di West African Examinations Council (Waec) and di National Examinations Council (Neco). Dis two regional and national exams na one of di basic requirements students need to enta higher institutions. Dem must present results and certificates to show say dem graduate true-true from secondary school. Im bin also add say di age limit for any candidate to write di Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) wey di Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (Jamb) dey organise na still 18 years. "Na 18 years. Wetin we do for di meeting wey we bin get wit Jamb na to allow dis year and for am to serve as a kind of notice for parents say dis year, Jamb go admit students wey dey below di age but from next year, Jamb go insist say anybodi wey dey apply to go university for Nigeria go meet di required age wey be 18." But dis policy no even start to work before dem comot am from office. Howeva, some education experts say na beta policy e be to allow di children mature, even though parents bin no agree wit di policy. Experts tok say di 9-3-4 system of education dey good to prepare students ahead of tertiary institution. Nigeria goment still get time till October to do dia tok-tok and explain wetin di 12 years of uninterrupted basic educational system really mean. Dis becos in reality even di Junior Secondary School Examination wey di West Africa Examination Council dey organise no dey strong like bifor.
BBC News
31-01-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Jamb registration 2025 postponed - Exam body give new date and reasons
Registration for di 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) go now Start on Monday 3 February, 2025, instead of Friday 31 January, 2025. Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) tok dis one for statement by dia tok-tok pesin, Fabian Benjamin, on Friday. Di exam join-bodi say di change dey necessary to allow di board carry out key adjustments to im registration templates. Oga Fabian further tok say di change dey necessary partly as di board bin discover say some Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres use mago-mago facilities to get approval and dat na why dem need to further check and corrections and disapprove those kind centres. Also, di statement add say, "dis adjustments come in light of di recent suspension of certain law programmes for selected universities, as e dey submitted to di Board by di Council for Legal Education. "Di board acknowledge say di disruption wey dis fit cause to candidates and oda stakeholders and sincerely apologize for any inconvenience," di statement tok. Dem add say dem go use di additional time to make to make sure say dem do all necessary so registration process go dey easy. Suspension of Law for selected universities Earlier Jamb bin announce say dem no go conduct admissions for di Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) programme for eight universities for di 2025/2026 academic session. Di exam bodi say di decision to not register law programmes for those schools na afta dat of di institutions by di Council of Legal Education (CLE), di highest decision making bodi for legal education in Nigeria. Di schools wey dey affected na Kwara State University, Malete, Ilorin, Kwara State; Bingham University, Karu, Nasarawa State; Redeemers University, Ede, Osun State; Western Delta University, Oghara, Delta State; and Taraba State University, Jalingo, Taraba State. Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) bin earlier announce di start of registration for di 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Bifor, Jamb bin say na 31 January candidates fit begin register and e go end for 8 March. JAMB, bin further tok for di statement on dia X handle say na for all JAMB accredited Computer-Based Test (CBT) nationwide registration go happun. For Direct Entry (DE) candidates, JAMB say di application documents and e-PIN vending registration go start from 10 March till Monday, 7 April. However, di exam join-bodi say make di DE candidates know say di registration dey restricted to only di Board State & Zonal Offices. Oga of JAMB, Is-haq Oloyede for one presentation wit tori pipo bin say di exam bodi don introduce UTME Mock Trial for underage students wey never fit register for UTME. Di Mock Trial na to help dem prepare ahead of real UTME afta dem for don they reach age 16. Breakdown amount wey candidate go pay for di 2025 UTME/DE Registration 1. UTME wit Mock-₦8,700 2. UTME without Mock-₦7, 200. 3. Mock Trial Testing for Future Candidates-₦3, 500. 4. DE-₦5, 700. Dis na di breakdown: UTME/DE application fee- ₦3,500 Reading Text,- ₦1,000 CBT centre registration service charge- ₦700 CBT Centre UTME service charge-₦1,500 CBT Mock service charge- ₦1,500 Bank charges- ₦500 CBT Mock-UTME centre service charge- ₦1,500.
