Education
JAMB registrar Prof.Ishaq Oloyede rejects bias allegations amidst UTME controversy
JAMB Registrar Professor Ishaq Oloyede has rejected allegations of bias and ethnic favouritism in the 2025 UTME results, amidst calls for his resignation and concerns over technical glitches and a high failure rate
The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede, has vehemently denied allegations of bias or ethnic favouritism in the handling of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results.
Also read: JAMB announces mop-up UTME for over 5.6% absent candidates
His comments come amid growing criticism and calls for his resignation from various groups, particularly from the South East.
Speaking to journalists during a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja convened to address challenges faced during the 2025 UTME, Professor Oloyede asserted his leadership responsibility.
“So I want to say this clearly, particularly because I accepted responsibility, not because I do not know how to do the work,” he stated. He expressed surprise at the ethnic lens through which some issues were being viewed.
“Until this incident happened, I didn’t know that I was surrounded by many issues, because I didn’t look at them as issues—I looked at them as my friends.
But when things started happening and people are saying, ‘Which one is you?’—which is unfortunate, because you need not look at where you come from.”
Oloyede firmly rejected any conspiracy theories, stating, “I say it for the fourth time that no conspiracy theory is relevant to this case.
There is nothing to say north, south, or that you buy more outside.” He acknowledged that “something just went wrong” despite years of successful operations, but maintained he did not “throw them under the bus.”
His comments directly address calls for his resignation, notably from the South East Caucus of the House of Representatives.
This group, along with activists and individuals of Igbo descent, has accused authorities of deliberate bias against their region.
It had been previously reported that the East Caucus in the House of Representatives demanded Oloyede’s resignation, citing a “catastrophic institutional failure” in the conduct of the 2025 UTME, which technically affected nearly 380,000 candidates.
The caucus criticised JAMB’s “knee-jerk, fire-brigade approach” to rescheduling the examination, arguing that students in the South East, many of whom were simultaneously writing their WAEC exams, received less than 48 hours’ notice.
I say it for the fourth time that no conspiracy theory is relevant to this case. There is nothing to say north, south, or that you buy more outside.
This led to a significantly low turnout and direct clashes with ongoing WAEC papers, compounding distress for students and families.
The caucus emphasised JAMB’s constitutional responsibility to ensure fairness in educational opportunities.
This position was echoed by the South East Senate Caucus, who, in a separate statement, blamed the incident on “hateful politics” and “narrow parochial considerations.”
Signed by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, the statement alleged a possible conspiracy to undermine the future of children in the region, stating, “It would be disheartening—and we hope not to contemplate such a conspiracy theory—that there is a narrow agenda being pursued to deliberately shortchange and harm the future of our children.”
The Senate Caucus urged national education bodies to avoid political interference in educational policy.
Further concerns have been raised by a law firm, John Nwobodo & Associates, which formally requested the release of the 2025 UTME questions and answers for over 1.5 million candidates who scored below 200.
This demand follows an unprecedented failure rate, with more than 70% of candidates scoring below the 200 pass mark, leading to suspicions of potential discrepancies or malfunctions in JAMB’s software.
Education
RSS Makes History as Graduating Class of 2026 Marks Valedictory Service in First-of-Its-Kind University-Style Ceremony
Remo Secondary School (RSS) has made history with the graduation of its 2026 class in what is being described as a groundbreaking academic ceremony, as the prestigious public secondary school celebrated its graduating students in a university-themed graduation style.
The historic valedictory service, which brought together students, parents, teachers, school administrators, old students and distinguished guests, was marked by pomp, pageantry and an atmosphere of academic excellence, as graduating students appeared in full academic graduation gowns, caps and other traditional graduation regalia.
In a striking departure from conventional valedictory ceremonies typically held in public secondary schools, the school’s principals and teachers, as well as the National Executives of the Remo Secondary School Old Students’ Association (RSSOSA), also donned academic gowns, creating the atmosphere and grandeur of a university convocation.
The remarkable initiative transformed the valedictory service into a memorable graduation experience for the students and marked a significant milestone in the history of Remo Secondary School, Ogun State and, potentially, the Nigerian public school system.
The ceremony was not only a celebration of the completion of secondary education, but also a deliberate effort to instil in the graduating students a sense of pride, achievement and responsibility as they prepare to transition into higher education and the next phase of their lives.
Another major highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of awards to deserving students in recognition of outstanding morals, good character and exemplary conduct. The awards, which cut across various categories, celebrated students who distinguished themselves not only through academic pursuits, but also through positive character traits, discipline, responsibility and good morals.
In a further demonstration of its commitment to the future of the graduating students and the advancement of education, Hope Bridge Social Impact Foundation awarded full higher education scholarships to about 25 deserving students. The scholarship awards will support the beneficiaries in pursuing their tertiary education, providing them with an opportunity to further their academic aspirations and achieve their full potential.
Speaking at the ceremony, the President of the Remo Secondary School Old Students’ Association (RSSOSA), Sir Aare Adetola Emmanuelking KOF, congratulated the graduating class and commended the school management, teachers and parents for their roles in nurturing and guiding the students throughout their academic journey.
He further expressed appreciation to the Ogun State Government, ably led by the Executive Governor, His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun, MFR, CON, for his administration’s commitment to transforming the education sector in the state.
He specifically acknowledged the Governor’s Yellow Revolution initiative, describing it as one of the notable interventions that has positively impacted the education sector and contributed to creating a more conducive environment for learning across public schools in Ogun State.
According to him, the Governor’s keen attention to education and the deliberate interventions of his administration have had a positive ripple effect that has extended to institutions such as Remo Secondary School, contributing to the school’s continued growth and development and helping to position it as a great institution.
Aare Adetola Emmanuelking also extended his appreciation to the Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, for his leadership and evident contributions to the advancement of education in the state.
The event further highlighted the strong bond between the school and its old students, with the presence and participation of the old students, demonstrating the association’s continued commitment to the development and advancement of the institution.
The innovative university-style graduation ceremony is expected to remain one of the most memorable moments in the history of the school, and could set a new standard for how graduating students are celebrated in public secondary schools across Ogun State and beyond.
For the graduating class of 2026, the occasion was a day of pride, gratitude and celebration, a day when they were not only bid farewell from secondary school, but were honoured and celebrated as graduates stepping confidently into the future.
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