- JAMB releases 2024 results, as mass failure sparks reactions across the country
- Exam board debunks claim of inefficiency, challenges candidates to show result
- Human Rights group issue two weeks ultimatum to the JAMB over result release
On May 2, 2024, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) officially unveiled the results of the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
According the exam body, over 1.94 million candidates participated in the nationwide test
WITHIN NIGERIA findings showed that the examination, which witnessed an impressive turnout, saw a staggering number of candidates as over 1.94 million registered and sat for the test across 118 towns and over 700 centres nationwide.
However, during a press conference held at the board’s headquarters in Bwari, Abuja, on Monday, the Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, announced the release of the results, unveiling the performance of candidates who undertook the UTME from Friday, April 19th, to Monday, April 29th, 2024.
According to the examination body, out of the registered candidates, a total of 1,904,109 individuals participated in the examination, while 80,810 were notably absent.
Prof. Oloyede disclosed that 64,624 results were under investigation for various reasons, including verification (2,896), procedural investigations (4,594), and prima facie established exam misconduct (78).
Additionally, other results under investigation involved centre-based investigations concerning 57,056 candidates across 18 centres in the country, with 12 in Edo, three in Akwa Ibom, two in Delta, and one in Kwara State.
By and large, giving more insights into the results and the overall conduct of the examination, Prof. Oloyede noted a significant improvement, stating, “The Board witnessed a near-zero infraction situation in the 2024 UTME except for a few cases, which represent just a tiny fraction of what was reported last year. This is encouraging, and the board is poised to consolidate on the successes recorded.”
Nevertheless, providing further analysis of the results, Oloyede revealed that 8,401 candidates, constituting 0.5 per cent, scored 300 and above, while 77,070 candidates, representing 4.2 per cent, scored 250 and above.
Statistically, there was a significant increase in the number of JAMB candidates in 2024 when compared to 2022 and 2023 examination.
In 2022, over one million, seven hundred candidates including 383 blind candidates took the examinations across the country while in 2023, a total of 1,595,779 candidates registered to take the examination in 708 Computer Based Test (CBT) centres in 105 examination towns in the country.
Surprises in the 2024 JAMB result
In the midst of the seemingly unprecedented mass failure by the JAMB candidates in the 2024 examination, a surprising claim has emerged. There was a claim by a young girl who allegedly received a UTME score despite not actually sitting for the exam.
Needless to say that the incident has raised concerns about the integrity of the examination process and the potential for technical glitches at exam centers.
Recall that the controversy was brought to light by Gozie, a Nigerian who took to social media to recount the troubling experience of a girl who was unable to take her scheduled exam due to technical issues at her designated Computer-Based Test (CBT) center.
According to Gozie’s Facebook post, the girl, along with other candidates, arrived at the center for a 7 am exam session only to see to their frustration that all computer systems were malfunctioning.
However, despite assurances that the issue would be resolved, the candidates were eventually instructed to return the next day.
It was gathered that upon their return, the candidates were reportedly informed that nothing could be done to address the earlier technical difficulties.
However, to their astonishment, the girl, who had not taken the exam, allegedly received UTME score of 191, comparable to those who had completed the examination.
Gozie expressed incredulity at the situation, questioning whether the result was a miraculous occurrence or a glitch within the JAMB system.
In his words; “I’m still dumbfounded on how a person that literally wrote nothing got 191 or there about in jamb.”
“According to her, her set, which was 7am had a problem with their system.
“Their system went off, not just one but all the system, it wasn’t resolved until time for the next set to write, guess what? They where all asked to go home and come the next day.
“They came the next day,and they where told that there’s nothing that they can do for them. Now, jamb result is out, and she got 191, could this be a miracle or jamb glitch.”
Though the veracity of Gozie’s claim was not independently verified by our reporter, the examination body has swiftly debunked the claim.
JAMB reacts, says it is fake
Nevertheless, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has debunked the report alleging that an unidentified lady allegedly got a Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME score without participating in the exercise.
It could be recalled that one Gozie, raised an alarm, alleging that a lady who did not sit for the UTME examination got her scores.
According to the report, Gozie alleged that the girl, who was supposed to take the exam at 7 am, but all the systems at her centre were faulty, mysteriously got scores for her examination.
However, reacting to the allegation, JAMB in a statement issued on Tuesday by its spokesman, Fabian Benjamin, said the report was fake, describing it as malicious and a calculated attempt to undermine the integrity of the Board.
JAMB urged the general public to disregard “such irresponsible publications”.
According to the exam board, “In investigating some of these allegations, the board discovered that some of these mischief makers copy results sent to other candidates, edit the details sent to themselves and then parade this as emanating from the board.
“The board challenges any candidate, parent or anybody with such a claim or information to prove it wrong by coming forward with the details of such claims and the phone number with which such results were conveyed.
“The attitude of these mischief makers would only propel the Board to further tighten the process of checking its results to make it more personalized and sure would be stringent when it should actually be a simple and straightforward exercise.
“The board reiterated that neither its results nor any of its processes have been compromised. Hence, it will continue to protect the integrity of its systems against such malicious actors, who are hell-bent on creating confusion where none existed”, JAMB added.
Gov. AbdulRasaq celebrates the high scorers in the state
It was also indeed another surprises as a Public School student in Kwara state has scored above 350 in the 2024 JAMB examination.
Samuel Oluwasemilore reportedly scored 354 in the just released results, rekindling hope that public schools in the country can as well make us proud by way of academic performance if properly equipped.
In his reaction, Gov AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq congratulated the student for his great feat. The governor while celebrating Oluwasemilore, alongside 30 other catholic school students who scored between 300 and 355 AbdulRazaq said the successes of the students were a cumulative effort of his administration’s “KwaraLEARN” while promising more funds for the education sector.
In his verified X (formerly twitter) account, Governor AbdulRazaq promises to fund education He then vowed that his administration would continue to beat the records in the education sector while tracing the success of the pupil to his government’s “KwaraLEARN”.
He promised that his government would soon launch the Education Trust Funds for the availability of resources and to strengthen accountability. The governor said the success stories were not isolated in the state’s education sector.
He added that it happened a few days after the state represented the country at the global stage of the World School Debate in Singapore. His statement reads in part: “The next few years will yield awesome learning outcomes, while we are soon launching a first-of-its-kind Kwara State Education Trust Fund to inject more resources and strengthen accountability in our education sector.”
The governor also celebrated the pupils and others who performed well in the state.
Group gives JAMB ultimatum
In the face of growing disaffection against the exam board over the mass failure in the 2024 exam,the Foundation for Civic Education, Human Rights and Development Advancement on Tuesday, May 7 handed down a seven-day notice to the Joint Administration and Matriculation Board beginning Wednesday this week to release all withheld results.
The Human Rights group has also threatened to lead an advocacy that would ultimately lead to the scrapping of the examination body if nothing was done at the expiration of the seven-day notice.
The Executive Director of the group, Clifford Thomas Esq gave the threat in a statement made available to journalists in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on Tuesday tagged, “JAMB must address this injustice by releasing the full 2024 results”
JAMB Registrar, Prof Ishaq Oloyede had, while releasing the 2024 results explained that 78 of the withheld results are under investigation for alleged examination misconduct, 4,594 for” procedural investigation of candidates, 2,896 under investigation on verification and 57,056 for centre-based investigation”
But the group argued that the decision by JAMB to withhold candidates’ results under the guise of investigation is proof that JAMB has not shown good faith and professional competence in conducting and managing entrance examinations into Nigerian tertiary institutions.
In his words, “we put JAMB on notice, for it to release all results forthwith, unconditionally, to show that it has not failed in its duties. Candidates who wrote this examination are seeking admission into Nigerian public tertiary institutions. Why dash the confidence of candidates in our public educational institutions?
“Again there is no law in Nigeria that forbids candidates less than 18 years of age from writing JAMB’s entrance examination. It amounts to illegality, unconstitutional and a violation of the social (educational) rights of candidates to also seize their results because they are less than 18 years old. JAMB is calling for the kind of trouble that may lead to its extinction.
“We give an ultimatum of seven days, commencing from Wednesday 8th of May, 2024, to release the seized results. At the expiration of this seven days notice, we shall mobilise and galvanize support from parents and guardians to commence advocacy for the scrapping of JAMB and for the need of tertiary institutions in Nigeria to conduct their entrance examination”
“JAMB has not shown good faith and professional competence in the conduct and management of entrance examinations into tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
“The presidency is hereby put on notice, the Nigerian senate, the House of Representatives, the Nigerian Governors Forum, States Houses of Assembly, the media, security agencies and the diplomatic missions are also notified. This rip-off and injustice must stop! “