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BY ABU-SATAR HAMED
ILARO-YEWA, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA – The Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro (FPI), under the leadership of its Rector, Dr. Mukhail Akinde, FCA, ACTI, has expressed support for Professor Ishaq Oloyede, Executive Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), stating that he should not be blamed for the controversies surrounding the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Dr. Akinde emphasized that the introduction of Computer-Based Tests (CBT) was aimed at improving the quality of education and eliminating longstanding examination malpractice.
He noted that while CBT is a significant step forward, it is naturally prone to occasional malfunctions, and therefore, no technology is flawless.
Speaking on Friday, May 16, 2025, in his office at the FPI administrative block, Dr. Akinde attributed the low performance of some candidates to a software malfunction.
He maintained that the results were not entirely bad, especially considering that 50.29% of candidates scored between 160 and 199, a range he did not consider unusual.
Dr. Akinde highlighted JAMB’s improved integrity under Prof. Oloyede’s leadership, saying, “The performance of JAMB over the years before Prof. Oloyede, from 2018 to 2024, showed an average of 78.3% of candidates scoring between 139 and 119.”
He stressed that, based on academic statistics, the 2025 UTME results should not be considered a failure.
Commenting on the technological aspects of the UTME, Dr. Akinde remarked, “There is no fully satisfied technology in the world. Software can malfunction at any time, even without human interference.”
He praised Prof. Oloyede for his efforts in repositioning JAMB and eliminating past irregularities that almost led to the examination body being scrapped.
The FPI Rector commended Prof. Oloyede for taking full responsibility for the UTME glitches, “For the first time, we are seeing a leader take responsibility, even when the glitches were minor – unlike the blame-shifting culture seen among many African leaders.”
He also applauded the decision to allow affected candidates a chance to retake the exam, describing it as a magnanimous gesture.
Dr. Akinde rejected calls for sanctions against the JAMB Registrar, emphasizing that Prof. Oloyede had already won national respect for his transformation of the examination board.
“It is naïve for anyone to call for his sanction over this so-called glitch.”
Contrary to claims that candidates failed due to poor computer literacy, Dr. Akinde stated that all candidates had been adequately prepared during the Mock Examination, and that clear instructions were displayed on the exam screens.
Mr. Ismail Odeyemi, who oversees FPI’s CBT Centre, explained, “The computers were configured to ask candidates multiple times before submission. Supervisors were also on standby to assist any candidates having difficulties.”
He added that JAMB had simplified the entire process, using both keyboards and mouse interfaces, and even provided a rough answer sheet with clearly printed instructions.
Odeyemi emphasized the intuitive nature of the CBT interface, stating, “When a candidate clicks an answer, the colour changes from red to green – it’s self-explanatory.”
Engr. Frank Ajibodu, FPI’s Technical Officer, stated that JAMB had allocated time for orientation in the hall, during which supervisors guided candidates through the process, including how to start, navigate, and submit their answers.
Ajibodu noted that it was the responsibility of both candidates and their parents to build confidence, dismissing public claims of “examiphobia” as an age-old phenomenon that also existed during paper-based testing.
In his final remarks, Dr. Akinde urged parents to invest more time in monitoring their children’s academic activities, “Secondary school students should spend less time on phones and more on their books.”
He stressed the importance of discipline and focus as key factors in improving performance in standardized exams like the UTME.
