Nigeria’s examination physique admits ‘glitch’ amid low move charge

The physique which runs Nigeria’s university-entrance exams has admitted to a “technical glitch” which compromised some outcomes of this 12 months’s assessments, after almost 80% of scholars received low grades.

College students have complained about not with the ability to log in to the computer systems, questions not displaying up and energy cuts making it unimaginable to take the examinations.

The low move charge has sparked widespread outrage, particularly after one candidate took her personal life.

Religion Opesusi Timileyin, 19, who was aspiring to check microbiology at college, died after swallowing poison, her household mentioned.

Her father and elder sister advised the BBC that she had sat the examination for the second time and received 146 marks out of 400, decrease than the 193 she had final 12 months.

“The ache made her take her personal life,” her father, Oluwafemi Opesusi, advised BBC Pidgin.

Usually 200 or above out of 400 is sufficient to get a spot in college within the exams run by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (Jamb).

Solely 400,000 of the 1.9 million college students achieved that mark, one of many worst performances lately.

One scholar, Favour Eke, advised BBC Igbo that 10 of the 165 questions did not seem on the display screen – all she might see was the a number of selection choices for the solutions.

“We had been advised to omit the clean questions and proceed the examination nevertheless it was very exhausting to pay attention after that,” she mentioned.

She has additionally skilled technical issues getting her outcomes, which means she could be very unlikely to get into college this 12 months – the third time she has taken the exams.

She sat the check within the capital, Abuja, which isn’t one of many centres the place college students can retake their exams, leaving her utterly distraught.

One other scholar mentioned he had bother logging in to the pc earlier than another person’s profile mysteriously appeared on the display screen, displaying totally different questions after which the machine briefly shut down utterly.

“I didn’t get to reply all of the questions after they advised us our time was up as a result of a variety of my time was wasted as a result of these technical difficulties,” he mentioned.

The exams physique has apologised for the “painful harm” and “the trauma that it has subjected affected Nigerians”.

In a press convention, Jamb registrar Ishaq Oloyede broke down in tears as he apologised.

He introduced that just about 380,000 candidates in 157 affected centres from a complete of 887, would be capable to retake their exams ranging from Saturday.

The zones which can be most affected are Lagos and a number of other states within the south-east.

Jamb blamed a failure of the pc system to add examination responses by candidates in these areas through the first days of the exams.

It mentioned an “uncommon stage of public considerations and loud complaints” had “prompted us to do an instantaneous audit or evaluation”. Ordinarily, this is able to have occurred in June, it mentioned.

The nationwide examination, often known as the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), is a computer-based check that could be a requirement for these becoming a member of universities and different tertiary establishments.

The 2025 check, which was performed in March, was marred by disruptions as a result of energy outages in some areas.

The pinnacle of the exams physique earlier this week defended the poor outcomes, saying they mirrored the “true educational skills” of the scholars and had been due to a clampdown on dishonest.

Many Nigerians on social media have been calling for accountability, with some searching for Oloyede’s resignation.

Opposition determine Peter Obi mentioned that whereas the admission of fault was commendable, the difficulty raised “a really regarding challenge on glitches and the grave havoc” in crucial establishments.

Rights activist Rinu Oduala mentioned it was “incompetence. It is academic sabotage. He must be arrested instantly.”

Extra reporting by Chukwunaeme Obiejesi, Andrew Present, Madina Maishanu and Marvelous Obomanu in Nigeria