As the rescheduled 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) retake kicks off today, concerned parents of affected candidates are calling for a postponement until June 2025, citing ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE), logistical challenges, and psychological strain on their children.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), in a post on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Thursday, confirmed that the resit for over 300,000 affected candidates would begin on May 16, 2025, stating, “...all the affected candidates will be contacted to reprint their examination slips towards retaking their examinations starting from 16th May, 2025 (today).”

However, the sudden notice has sparked a wave of frustration and concern among parents, many of whom believe the timing is unfair to their children, who are already juggling multiple examinations.

One parent, Mr. Bukola Omoniyi, expressed his frustration, saying, “This is not fair. My child has returned to his school in Oyo State after the initial UTME. Now, we get a text saying he must sit for the exam this Saturday, while he’s in the middle of his WAEC. How will he rush down to Lagos and then back to school? This is unfair. No one cares about the psychological trauma these children are facing. This was not their fault, so why should they bear the brunt of this mistake?”

Another parent, Mrs. Aisha Okikiola, echoed this sentiment, adding that the conflicting syllabuses are causing confusion for her child. “My child is to resit the UTME on Saturday and then sit for a WAEC paper on Sunday. These are two different syllabuses. How do you expect them to manage this? We are asking that JAMB postpone the exam until June, when the students would have finished their WAEC, so they can have time to focus.”

Educators have also weighed in on the matter. A principal from a Catholic school in Enugu, who spoke on condition of anonymity, noted the strain on students, saying, “Almost all our students are affected by this resit. It’s WAEC season, and some of them are scared because they have to start preparing again for UTME. This is not just about academics – it’s about their mental well-being. Moving the resit to June would be a more humane decision.”

In Imo State, Mr. Felix Onuoha also called for a delay, arguing that the affected students need more time to recover from the shock of the initial glitch. “What happened was not their fault, and they should not be punished for it,” he said.

However, the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) has urged parents to cooperate with JAMB to ensure a successful resit. NAPTAN National President, Haruna Danjuma, stated, “What happened is painful for all, but JAMB has acknowledged its mistake and has rescheduled the examination for affected candidates. We plead with parents to support this process.”

Efforts to reach JAMB spokesperson Dr. Fabian Benjamin for comment were unsuccessful, as calls to his phone rang out, and he had yet to respond to messages as of the time of filing this report.

Meanwhile, public scrutiny continues to mount, with many Nigerians calling for a broader probe into the technical errors that marred the 2025 UTME, which saw over 1.5 million of the 1.9 million candidates score below 200 points. The House of Representatives has since resolved to investigate the incident, following a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Osun lawmaker Adewale Adebayo.

With the clock ticking, the big question remains – should JAMB reconsider its stance and give these students a fair chance to recover and prepare, or should the resit proceed as planned? What do you think? Should JAMB hold its ground or make adjustments for the sake of the affected students?