The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Zone A has strongly criticized the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for what it describes as a discriminatory approach in its recent decision to allow a selective rewrite of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
In a strongly worded statement titled “Call for Equity in JAMB Exam Rewrite Exercise – An Injury to One is an Injury to All,” the leadership of NANS Zone A, representing student executives across the seven Northwestern states, expressed disappointment over the exclusion of Northern students from the ongoing JAMB exam rewrite.
According to the statement signed by the 13-member executive council, while students in Southern Nigeria have been granted the opportunity to retake the UTME following technical failures or irregularities, their Northern counterparts were denied the same privilege.
“This action by the JAMB Registrar is a glaring example of bias and inequality. Nigeria is one nation, and JAMB is a unified examination body that serves all Nigerian students without discrimination,” the group stated.
They added that the “selective treatment of students from different regions is unjust and provocative,” urging that all students affected by technical hitches or irregularities, regardless of region, be given equal opportunities to rewrite the exam.
In a dramatic move, the student body passed a vote of no confidence in JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, accusing him of demonstrating “ethnoregional biases” that threaten national unity and cohesion, especially in a sensitive sector such as education.
“His continued leadership under such conditions does not reflect the impartiality required of such a national institution,” NANS Zone A declared.
The student body called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Ministry of Education to urgently intervene and address the alleged injustice. They emphasized that education must remain a neutral ground for national development and not be tainted by regional or religious sentiments.
“We trust in the leadership of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and believe in his commitment to fairness and justice,” they said, appealing for prompt and fair resolution.
The association warned that if no corrective measures are taken, they may be forced to take lawful actions to protect the rights of Northern students. They also urged other Northern NANS zones and stakeholders to join in solidarity to demand equity and fairness.
“The protection of educational fairness is a collective responsibility,” the statement concluded.