JAMB, WAEC and a Generation Left Waiting When Exams Glitch

A technical glitch in the systems of Nigeria's Joint Admissions Matriculation Board (JAMB) and West African Examination Council (WAEC) has left thousands of students in limbo for eight months. The error skewed Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) scores and stretched the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) into the night, causing confusion and despair among students.

One tragic case was that of Timilehin Opesusi, who, upon receiving a drastically low UTME score, ingested rodenticide and later passed away. The incident highlighted the human cost of the system's failure, with families devastated and students facing mental health challenges.

The lack of support structures, miscommunication, and institutional opacity have compounded the issue, leading to anxiety, depression, and academic disengagement among affected students. The incident underscores the urgent need for systemic reforms to prevent such tragedies and ensure a fair and reliable examination process.