The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has made it clear that it will not disclose the names of the top scorers for the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), citing its UTME as primarily a ranking examination and concerns about potential misrepresentation.
Speaking at a press briefing in Bwari on Monday, the Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, emphasized the board’s stance, particularly in light of previous incidents, including the ‘Mmesoma saga’ following the 2023 UTME.
Ejikeme Mmesoma, a 19-year-old student, gained attention after claiming a score of 362, which was later discovered to be 249 on the JAMB portal.
Oloyede noted that 1,989,668 candidates registered for the examinations conducted in 118 towns across 774 computer-based test centres (CBT).
“It is common knowledge that the Board has, at various fora, restated its unwillingness to publish the names of its best-performing candidates, as it considers its UTME as only a ranking examination on account of the other parameters that would constitute what would later be considered the minimum admissible score for candidates seeking admission to tertiary institutions,” Oloyede explained.
He continued, “Similarly, because of the different variables adopted by respective institutions, it might be downright impossible to arrive at a single or all-encompassing set of parameters for generating a list of candidates with the highest admissible score, as gaining admission remains the ultimate goal. Hence, it might be unrealistic or presumptive to say a particular candidate is the highest scorer given the fact that such a candidate may, in the final analysis, not even be admitted.
“However, owing to public demand and to avoid a repeat of the Mmesoma saga as well as provide a guide for those, who may want to award prizes to this set of high-performing candidates, the Board appeals to all concerned to always verify claims by candidates before offering such awards.”
