Parents Call for Rescheduling of 2025 UTME Resit to June Amid Tech Glitch and Logistical Challenges

Parents Call for Rescheduling of 2025 UTME Resit to June Amid Tech Glitch and Logistical Challenges

Parents of candidates impacted by the recent technical glitch in the 2025 Unified Tertiary and Matriculation Examination (UTME) are calling for the rescheduling of the upcoming resit, which is set to commence today, to June 2025. They argue that the disruption has caused unnecessary trauma and logistical challenges for their children.

A statement from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Thursday confirmed that all affected candidates would be contacted to reprint their examination slips and retake the exam starting from May 16, 2025. One affected student shared a screenshot of a notification SMS instructing him to reprint his exam slip and attend the resit on Friday, May 16, 2025.

In interviews with Journalists, several parents expressed their concerns. They highlighted the emotional stress endured by the candidates, who are also preparing for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), and the difficulties posed by long distances to exam centers.

The JAMB Registrar, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, acknowledged the technical failure that affected over 300,000 candidates across Lagos and the South-East regions, admitting it was caused by a failed server update patch. During a press conference on Wednesday, he expressed regret and took responsibility for the setback, which he described as disappointing despite the exercise’s previous success.

Oloyede explained that 157 centers in Lagos and the South-East were impacted, affecting approximately 206,610 candidates in Lagos and 173,387 in the South-East. The affected candidates will be allowed to retake the exam between May 16 and May 18, 2025.

Parents like Mr. Bukola Omoniyi criticized the short notice and logistical challenges. He recounted that his child, currently in Oyo State, was told to sit the exam on Saturday despite already being in Ibadan, raising concerns about the fairness and psychological impact of the sudden change.

Mrs. Aisha Okikiola, another parent, shared her frustration over her child’s conflicting exam schedules, noting that her daughter is preparing for both the UTME and WASSCE simultaneously, which she found overwhelming. She called for the rescheduling to June, after WASSCE exams are completed, to allow students adequate preparation and rest.

A school principal in Enugu, speaking anonymously, described the situation as taxing for students and staff, emphasizing safety concerns, especially for students traveling long distances to exam centers. She urged JAMB to postpone the resit until June, when students would have completed their WASSCE.

Similarly, Mr. Felix Onuoha from Imo State supported delaying the exam to give students ample study time, emphasizing that the candidates should not be penalized for the system’s failure.

The National Parent-Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) urged parents to cooperate with JAMB to ensure the resit’s success. NAPTAN President Haruna Danjuma acknowledged the trauma caused by the glitch but emphasized the importance of the rescheduling plan and called for parental support.

JAMB spokesperson Dr. Fabian Benjamin was unreachable at the time of this report, as calls and messages went unanswered.

This year, over 1.9 million candidates sat for the UTME, with approximately 1.5 million scoring below 200 points out of 400. Some candidates protested their low scores, claiming their performance was better than reflected, and social media users criticized JAMB for perceived failure.

JAMB Registrar Oloyede stated that the statistics are consistent with previous years; for example, in 2022, 78% of candidates scored below 200, and in 2021, only a tiny fraction scored above 300.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the technical error responsible for the widespread failure. The motion, sponsored by Osun lawmaker Adewale Adebayo, was adopted on Thursday. The resulting public outcry has led some Nigerians to call for the resignation of JAMB’s leadership.