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Nigeria’s University Entrance Exam Crisis

“The pain made her take her own life,” said Oluwafemi Opesusi, father of 19-year-old Faith Opesusi Timileyin, whose aspiration to study microbiology ended in tragedy due to a failed exam score. This year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), a pivotal university entrance test in Nigeria, witnessed a catastrophic failure rate, with only 400,000 of the 1.9 million candidates scoring above the university admission threshold of 200 out of 400 points.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), the body responsible for the examination, attributed this unprecedented low performance to a “technical glitch” that affected the computer-based testing system. Students reported an array of issues including inability to log in, missing questions on their screens, and sudden power outages during the exam sessions.

Technical Failures and Student Trauma

Faith Timileyin had attempted the UTME for the second time, scoring 146, a drop from her previous score of 193. The decline in her scores, despite her repeated efforts, highlights the deeper systemic issues plaguing the examination process this year. The glitch not only disrupted the exam environment but also shattered the academic aspirations of many Nigerian youths.

In a press conference, a tearful JAMB registrar, Ishaq Oloyede, apologized for the “painful damage” and “the trauma that it has subjected affected Nigerians to.” Oloyede announced that approximately 380,000 candidates from 157 affected centers would have the opportunity to retake their exams. This decision came as a response to “an unusual level of public concerns and loud complaints,” which prompted an urgent review of the examination process. Typically, such audits would not occur until June.

Reports from several examination centers painted a chaotic picture. Favour Eke, a student in Abuja, recounted that ten of her 165 questions did not display on the screen, showing only the multiple-choice answers without the corresponding questions. “We were told to omit the blank questions and continue the exam, but it was very hard to concentrate after that,” she explained. Eke, facing her third attempt at the exam, expressed little hope for university admission this year due to these disruptions.

Public Outcry and Calls for Accountability

The widespread technical failures and the resulting poor performance have sparked a major outcry across Nigeria. On social media, many are demanding accountability, with some calling for Oloyede’s resignation. Opposition figure Peter Obi commended the admission of fault but stressed that the incident raised “a very concerning issue on glitches and the grave havoc” wrought on critical educational institutions.

Rights activist Rinu Oduala was more forthright in her criticism, stating, “It’s incompetence. It’s educational sabotage. He should be arrested immediately.” These strong reactions underscore the high stakes of the UTME and the profound impact of its administration on the future of Nigerian youth.

The national exam, designed to assess the readiness of students for tertiary education, has been marred not only by this year’s technical issues but also by an ongoing struggle against examination malpractice. The head of JAMB defended the initially poor results by suggesting they reflected the “true academic abilities” of the students, attributed to a stringent clampdown on cheating.

As the affected students prepare for their re-scheduled exams, the episode remains a stark reminder of the challenges facing Nigeria’s educational system. The integrity of the UTME is crucial, not just for the students who take it but for the broader educational standards in Nigeria. The fallout from this year’s exam has put a spotlight on the need for robust systems that can withstand the pressures of such high-stakes testing environments.

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