The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released the results of its resit examination conducted for candidates affected by the technical error during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
In a statement released on Sunday morning by its Public Communication Advisor, Fabian Benjamin, the board announced the results, revealing that out of the 336,845 candidates rescheduled for the examination, 21,082 were absent.
No explanation was provided for the high number of absentees, but JAMB announced a mop-up exam for candidates who missed the initial UTME, including those whose absence had no specified reason.
The Board in the statement raised concerns about widespread exam malpractice involving candidates, school proprietors, and CBT.
It was gathered that a meeting of Chief External Examiners, chaired by Prof. Olufemi Peters, endorsed the resit results based on psychometric analysis by Prof. Boniface Nworgu.
JAMB approved the release of results for under-aged candidates, though these do not qualify them for admission unless litigation is involved.
“As part of the healing process, the meeting resolved that the withheld results of under-age candidates (except where litigation is involved), who performed below the established standards, be released.
“Such result does not, however, qualify them for admission, as they had previously signed an undertaking during the registration process acknowledging that only those who meet the prescribed standards would be considered for under-age special admission,” it reads.
The Board also granted a one-time waiver for candidates involved in online malpractice.
“Release of Result of Candidates involved in ‘WhatsApp Runs’ and other Misdemeanours. This category of candidates were found to have been involved in illicit solicitation of assistance.
“The meeting emphasised that its decision is not an endorsement of candidates’ unacceptable acts, but rather a once and for all waiver.
“Candidates were thus advised to refrain from joining questionable ‘WhatsApp and other anti-social groups”, JAMB said.
According to the board, CBT centres implicated in malpractice will be blacklisted and their owners prosecuted.
Those involved in biometric or identity fraud will also face legal action.
“The meeting condemned the involvement of some CBT centres in perpetrating serious registration and examination malpractices and resolved that all the implicated CBT centres should be blacklisted, while complicit owners should be prosecuted.
“In addition, the identified individuals, who directly registered the candidates with modified pictures and biometrics be apprehended and prosecuted.”
The Board criticised unregulated tutorial centres aiding malpractice and urged government regulation.
It further reaffirmed its support for CBT and plans to bring in consultants to enhance the registration process.
Efforts to politicise technical issues along tribal lines, were condemned in the meeting, as they urge unity and caution against the divisive narrative.
“The meeting expressed with regret the attempts by some groups to exploit the unfortunate incident to disseminate tribal and sectional narratives.
“The unfortunate incident is not targeted at any section of the country, neither was it caused by any particular section of the country.
“It was emphasised that such narratives risk exacerbating existing divisions within society and even the JAMB workforce.
“The meeting commended the Registrar and the Management of JAMB for the competent and sincere handling of the unfortunate accident and urged them to remain steadfast and courageous,” the statement stated.
JAMB also dismissed claims of high scorers in cancelled sessions, stating 99% scored below 200, with only a few reaching 217.
The Board also condemned attempts to exploit the situation, citing the case of Olisa Gabriel Chukwuemeka, who falsely claimed to have scored 326 in the 2025 UTME.
JAMB confirmed he had altered his 2024 result of 203 and had actually scored 180 in the 2025 exam before his result was withdrawn. He later deactivated his social media account following public backlash.
Recall that the results of the 2025 UTME were originally released on 9 May.
(PUNCH)
