The House of Representatives has tendered an official apology to candidates affected by technical hitches during the recently concluded Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
Chairman of the House Committee on Basic Education, Hon. Oboku Oforji, conveyed the apology during a public hearing held at the National Assembly Complex on Monday, addressing widespread complaints from students and parents regarding malfunctioning systems, delayed responses, and incomplete tests at various Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres.
“We sincerely apologise on behalf of JAMB and the Federal Government to all affected candidates. The House takes these concerns seriously and will ensure that corrective steps are taken immediately,” Hon. Oforji said.
Lawmakers at the hearing condemned the lapses and called on JAMB to intensify efforts to prevent future occurrences. They also called for a comprehensive audit of affected centres and a review of the examination body’s technical preparedness ahead of future tests.
Stakeholders, including civil society organisations and representatives of student bodies, also testified at the session, urging greater transparency, support mechanisms for affected students, and timely communication from the examination body.
JAMB is yet to issue a formal response to the legislative concerns as of press time, though sources within the board say investigations are underway.
The House has resolved to monitor JAMB’s implementation of recommended reforms and may summon the examination body’s leadership for further clarification in the coming days.
