The controversy surrounding the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results for candidates from the South East has continued to draw criticism, with Nzuko Umunna—a leading intellectual and socio-political group—condemning what it described as a “very disturbing saga” and demanding urgent reforms in the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination process.
In a joint statement signed by Prof. Chinedu Nebo, President of Nzuko Umunna and former Minister of Power, and Dr. Uju Agomoh, Executive Secretary of the organization, the group warned that failure to address the systemic issues behind the glitch could set a dangerous precedent for other national exams, including WAEC and NECO.
“The very disturbing saga of JAMB results for South Eastern candidates has not gone unnoticed,” the statement read. “Some of us in the academia and other realms have been networking to ensure that the now notorious ‘glitch’ (INEC classic alibi for selective mutilation of processes) isn’t allowed to truncate the future of our children.”
The group acknowledged the apology issued by the JAMB Registrar but questioned the decision to schedule retake exams within 48 hours of admitting fault.
“We appreciate the apology tendered by JAMB Registrar, but are concerned about the fixing of the retake exams less than 48 hours after JAMB’s admission of blame for the fiascos. Given that many of our children are currently retaking the examination as at today 16th May 2025, we strongly insist that no such occurrence should happen in future,” the statement continued.
Nzuko Umunna also called for immediate display of candidates’ scores upon completion of their CBT exams—similar to international standards used in global exams such as GRE, GMAT, and TOEFL.
“The UTME is a Computer-Based Test (CBT), so there’s no reason why candidates should have to wait days after the exam to receive their results,” they argued. “Nigerian candidates deserve the same level of dignity and clarity.”
According to the group, instant score display will:
- Promote transparency and trust
- Reduce suspicion and controversy
- Ensure that any errors or discrepancies are spotted early
- Help students take responsibility for their performance or contest it, if necessary
“May God bless you all as we endeavor to protect the future of our children,” the statement concluded.
The outcry comes amid ongoing criticism and protests from students and parents who believe they were unfairly affected by the UTME technical challenges. Many hope this advocacy will compel JAMB to implement more transparent and accountable examination practices in future sessions.
