Repeated UTME glitches: Tutorial school operators blame JAMB’s tech infrastructure

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The Association of Tutorial School Operators has raised concerns over the recurring system failures experienced during the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, attributing the glitches to fundamental weaknesses in the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board’s ICT infrastructure.

Speaking in a press statement on Saturday, which addresses developments surrounding UTME 2025, ATSO President, Mr Oludotun Sodunke, called for a comprehensive appraisal of JAMB’s technological systems and operational architecture.

“The recurrence of system failures and glitches suggests fundamental ICT infrastructure weaknesses that require comprehensive addressing.

“There might be a need for a total appraisal of the whole infrastructural architecture of JAMB going forward, including relationships with service providers, who coincidentally are major partakers in the error/glitch issue,” Sodunke stated

In the statement titled ‘Commending JAMB’s Transparency, Addressing Systemic UTME Flaws, and Advocating for Sustainable Reforms’, Sodunke praised JAMB’s Registrar, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, for openly admitting the recent marking error during the UTME and for acting swiftly to resolve the matter.

However, he emphasised that more fundamental reforms were urgently needed.

One of the major issues raised by ATSO was the ill-timed scheduling of the UTME.

The association criticised the current practice of examinations in the first quarter of the year, before many students have completed the WAEC and NECO syllabi.

“As an entrance examination, UTME should logically follow secondary school leaving examinations to allow for proper preparation.

“Most tertiary institutions commence admissions in September or October, so there is sufficient time for JAMB to conduct the UTME and release thoroughly vetted results in July or August,” Sodunke argued.