JAMB’s acknowledgment of UTME lapses rare and commendable, says NOA

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has commended the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for its handling of the glitch that marred the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

In a statement signed by Paul Odenyi, deputy director of media and communication at the agency, Lanre Issa-Onilu, the NOA’s director general, praised Ishaq Oloyede, JAMB’s registrar, for “his integrity in admitting the board’s lapses”.

Issa-Onilu urged JAMB to go a step further by compensating candidates affected by the errors.

He added that while acknowledging mistakes is important, taking remedial action is crucial for restoring trust.

“The Agency described JAMB’s open acknowledgement of its lapses as a rare and commendable act of leadership, one that reflects a deep sense of institutional responsibility,” the statement reads.

“This act of forthrightness is not only a testament to Professor Oloyede’s personal values but also aligns with the principles of the National Values Charter (NVC), which enjoins all public institutions to operate with the highest standards of transparency and accountability.

“While recognition of mistakes is the first step, redemption and restitution are other necessary steps to be taken.

“Having decided to provide another opportunity to the candidates as a way of redeeming the errors, it is imperative that JAMB considers appropriate compensation to mitigate the stress and anxiety these candidates may have suffered.

“JAMB’s example should serve as a model for other public institutions. When institutions own their mistakes and act to correct them, they earn the respect and confidence of the people.”

On Wednesday, JAMB admitted to a technical error that compromised the integrity of the 2025 UTME in 157 centres.

The JAMB registrar said the results of 379,997 candidates were affected.

Oloyede said the board discovered discrepancies linked to faulty server updates in its Lagos and south-east zones.