“In the last two days, excluding today, we have examined 947,000 candidates. Out of the 947,000 candidates, we had issues with about 60,000 candidates and these candidates are being rescheduled (for the exam),” he said.
Dr Benjamin reassured candidates and the public that everyone registered for the exam would be given the opportunity to take part in the exercise, as the Board had resolved the technical hitches experienced on the first day of the exam in some centres across the country.
“This is the best exam we have had over a period of time, but I know many will like to contest that because of what happened on Tuesday, but I know if you have been in the system and following our exams, you will know that the first day is always turbulent, as we progress we stabilise,” he said.
The Board urged candidates, particularly those who could not sit for yesterday’s exercise, to continue to check their profile and print their slips as they reschedule them for the examination. Dr. Benjamin stated that the management would soon announce the release of the results of the examination.
“We are looking at the results and by the grace of God, we will release the first batch of the results soon,” he said.
Meanwhile, over 1.6 million candidates registered for the 2023 UTME which began on April 25th and is expected to end on May 3rd. Despite the hitches experienced, the Board noted that the exams have gone smoothly compared to previous years.
JAMB had earlier urged candidates to print their examination slips and study materials ahead of the exams and to comply with COVID-19 protocols during the exams. Professor Oloyede also advised candidates to avoid giving their passwords to strangers to prevent impersonation and fraud.
The Board had also reiterated its commitment to ensuring a hitch-free UTME exercise and pledged to sanction any official or centre that violates its regulations.
“We will ensure that the integrity of the exercise is not compromised. Anyone who violates the rules will be sanctioned,” Prof. Oloyede said.
JAMB conducts the UTME annually as part of the requirements for entry into tertiary institutions in Nigeria. Candidates who obtain the minimum required score in the exam are eligible for admission into their preferred institution and course of study. The Board had earlier extended the registration period to accommodate more candidates due to the high demand for the exam.