BREAKING: 2024 UTME Commences Off Nationwide With Minimal Glitches 

BREAKING: 2024 UTME Commences Off Nationwide With Minimal Glitches 

After extensive preparations, the Joint Admission and Matriculations Board (JAMB) began the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) on Friday, across more than 700 centers nationwide.

While there were some instances of internet glitches reported, JAMB officials have assured that no candidate will face discrimination due to these minor challenges.

During an interview with the press after overseeing the examination in Kogo-Bwari, Abuja, the Registrar of JAMB, Prof.

Ishaq Oloyode, criticized certain corporate entities and individuals for hastily granting scholarships to students who are claimed to be the top performers or highest scorers. He expressed regret that such practices undermine the authority of the examination body.

Previously, controversies arose following the 2023 examination, where a student named Mmesoma alleged to be the highest scorer and received a scholarship worth N3 million from Innocent Chukwuma, the Chairman of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing.

However, JAMB later refuted Mmesoma’s claim of being the top performer in the 2023 UTME, accusing her of falsifying her results by manipulating them with her phone.

“Yes, MTN and other people are giving scholarships to the highest (scorers) but we have always discouraged them, because you scored high in UTME doesn’t mean you are the best because some other factors will come in; the quality of your O Level will be added to it, Post-UTME scores will be added to it;

“If you are going to NDA, your physical exercise will be added to it before we can say that you are the best; before we rank you, so why rank people prematurely?

“You will see somebody saying my son scored 330, and in addition to that, he had 7 A1s. Is he not qualified? He might be qualified when you are ranking people in your village; when it comes to Nigeria, he may be 650 despite the so-called brilliance to you,” he said.

In light of the commencement of the 2024 UTME, Oloyede urged candidates who encountered difficulties during the exam due to glitches to remain patient as they would be rescheduled to take the test.

He reported that the UTME has been running smoothly, with only one center experiencing issues thus far.

“We appeal to the public to understand this, some centres will fail. I have heard of only one centre that has failed today.

“By the end of today, I expect about 10 percent of the centres to have one problem or the other because we know the level of development in different parts of the country.

“We are not encouraging this, but when it happens, please do not disrupt others.

“It is important to note that when a session fails because of a problem, you cannot bring those candidates to do session two, they will have to step aside, and the headquarters will have to be contacted.

“The earliest time they can be scheduled will be after 4:30 p.m. so that those slated for sections two and three can write, and these candidates can now write for session four, and in some cases, they can even be scheduled for the following day,” the JAMB boss stated.