- The UTME has gone smoothly and that only one center has reported experiencing problems – Registrar
- The Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination is a computer-based standardized examination for prospective undergraduates.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has urged students who had technical difficulties during the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination to maintain composure, saying their examination will be rescheduled.
The exam began today and will end on 29th, April 2024.
Prof. Ishaq Oloyode, the JAMB Registrar, made the request while answering questions from reporters after monitoring the exam in Kogo-Bwari, Abuja.
He stated that, thus far, the UTME has gone smoothly and that only one center has reported experiencing problems.
“We appeal to the public to understand this. Some centres will fail. I have heard of only one centre that has failed today.
“By the end of today, I expect about 10 per cent of the centres to have one problem or the other because we know the level of development in different parts of the country.
“We are not encouraging this, but when it happens, please do not disrupt others. It is important to note that when a session fails because of a problem, you cannot bring those candidates to do session two, they will have to step aside, and the headquarters will have to be contacted.
“The earliest time they can be scheduled will be after 4:30 p.m. so that those slated for sections two and three can write, and these candidates can now write for session four, and in some cases, they can even be scheduled for the following day,” he said.
Speaking further, the JAMB boss said the exam body is not comfortable with the award of scholarships to UTME best-performing candidates on the basis of the exam alone, as that would not capture other criteria that are factored in for admission.
“Yes, MTN and other people are giving scholarships to the highest (scorers) but we have always discouraged them because you scored high in UTME doesn’t mean you are the best because some other factors will come in; the quality of your O Level will be added to it, post-UTME scores will be added to it. If you are going to NDA, your physical exercise will be added to it before we can say that you are the best; before we rank you, why rank people prematurely?
“You will see somebody saying my son scored 330, and in addition to that, he had seven A1s. Is he not qualified? He might be qualified when you are ranking people in your village; when it comes to Nigeria, he may be 650 despite the so-called brilliant to you,” he said.