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…Urges 3-Year UTME Validity for candidates
Sukurat Ibirogba
Amid the ongoing mixed reactions characterising the just held Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), Dr. Stephen Olawale Fasakin, National President of the University of Ilorin Alumni Association, has added his voice to the defence of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and its Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede.
In a statement copied newsmen in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Tuesday, Fasakin praised Oloyede’s courage in issuing a public apology, describing the move as rare among public office holders in Nigeria.
“It is uncommon to find public officials who openly take responsibility in this country. Nigerians should salute Prof Oloyede’s courage,” he stated.
He sympathised the affected candidates and wished them success in their future endeavours as well commiserated with family of Timilehin who committed suicide over poor performance in the examination.
He urged the public not to let the error overshadow the many achievements JAMB has recorded in recent years.
“While it is quite unfortunate that this year’s exercise didn’t go as planned, Nigerians should be careful not to throw away the baby with the bathwater. Errors can still be corrected to produce an outcome that matches or even surpasses previous ones.”,Fasakin said.
Calling for structural reform, Fasakin urged that the UTME results remain valid for three years, saying such policy would significantly reduce pressure on candidates, parents, and service providers in the annual examination process.
He also highlighted the impact of Oloyede’s reforms since assuming office, particularly the successful introduction of Computer-Based Testing (CBT) into Nigeria’s public examination system.
“Oloyede has established CBT in such a way that other examination bodies like WAEC and NECO can now adopt the model as a blueprint for their own systems,” he said.
Describing the glitch as an unintentional system failure, Fasakin stressed that it should not be seen as a reflection of poor leadership or incompetence.
“System glitches are not willful. The typical Professor Oloyede will not compromise his integrity over issues like this,” he concluded.
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