The Senate Minority Whip and representative of Enugu West Senatorial District, Senator Osita Ngwu, has called on the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to extend the rescheduled 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) by a minimum of two weeks for affected candidates.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, had earlier announced that 379,997 candidates in five South-East states and Lagos, affected by technical glitches, would be rescheduled to retake the exam.
He accepted full responsibility and assured that candidates would begin receiving reschedule notifications via SMS from Thursday.
Reacting to the development, Senator Ngwu, a member of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions, commended JAMB for its transparency but described the 48-hour notice as insufficient and unfair, especially for students who experienced trauma due to the glitches.
“Rescheduling alone is not enough. A minimum two-week window is necessary for proper academic and emotional recovery,” Ngwu said. “This is about fairness, not just logistics.”
He highlighted the case of over 3,000 students under his Enugu West Academy initiative who were affected, noting that they were well-prepared but are now emotionally unsettled.
Ngwu emphasized that adequate time must be given to allow affected students to recover and prepare effectively, urging JAMB to reconsider its timeline to ensure equity and better outcomes.
