In response to the commencement of the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board have requested candidates encountering technical problems during the examination to remain composed as they will be rescheduled.
Prof Ishaq Oloyode, the Registrar of JAMB, made this plea while addressing the media after overseeing the exam in Kogo-Bwari, Abuja. He mentioned that the UTME has been progressing smoothly, with only one center reported to have faced issues.
He stated, “It’s important for the public to be understanding. It’s expected that some centers may encounter challenges. So far, I have heard of just one center facing difficulties today.
“By the end of the day, we anticipate about 10% of the centers may experience some issues due to varying levels of development across different regions in the country.
“Although we do not encourage this, in case it happens, please do not disrupt others. It’s crucial to note that if a session fails due to a problem, the affected candidates cannot join the next session. They will have to wait, and then the headquarters will have to be notified.
“The earliest they can be rescheduled is after 4:30 p.m. so that candidates assigned to sections two and three can proceed, allowing those affected to take the fourth session. In certain instances, they may even be rescheduled for the next day,” he explained.
Addressing further, the JAMB chief expressed the organization’s discomfort with awarding scholarships solely based on UTME performance, as it may not consider other crucial admission criteria.
“While MTN and others offer scholarships to the highest scorers, we advise against it since scoring high in UTME doesn’t necessarily equate to being the best. Other factors like the quality of O Level results, post-UTME scores, and for NDA applicants, physical exercises also play a role in determining the best candidate. Premature ranking is not advisable.
“You might hear someone say their child scored 330 along with seven A1s. Are they qualified? They might be locally, but nationally, a score of 650 could be necessary despite appearing bright to you,” he added.
The 2024 UTME is underway nationwide today and will continue tomorrow.