The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has commended the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for its transparency in addressing the technical hitches and logistical issues that marred the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), describing the move as a benchmark for accountability in public service.
In a statement issued Thursday by the agency’s Deputy Director of Media and Communication, Paul Odenyi, NOA hailed JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, for his candid acknowledgment of the lapses, calling it a “rare act of leadership” and a model of institutional responsibility.
Director General of the NOA, Lanre Issa-Onilu, praised JAMB’s commitment to public accountability, noting that such openness aligns with the National Values Charter, which demands transparency and integrity from all public institutions.
“Admitting faults is the first step. But redemptive action and restitution must follow to fully restore trust,” Onilu said.
While acknowledging JAMB’s decision to reschedule exams for over 379,000 affected candidates in Lagos and the South-East, the NOA urged the board to go further by offering appropriate compensation to candidates who experienced stress, disruption, and uncertainty due to the UTME glitches.
Onilu stated that the integrity of the examination process must be protected through corrective mechanisms, improved infrastructure, and better oversight to prevent future disruptions.
The NOA emphasized that JAMB’s transparency should serve as a model for other agencies, especially in an era where public trust in government institutions is waning.
“When institutions admit their missteps and act decisively to correct them, they earn public confidence and demonstrate true leadership,” Onilu said.
He added that under the National Values Charter, both public officials and citizens are expected to uphold core democratic values—integrity, accountability, and transparency—which are essential to building a just and responsive governance system.
