A bill seeking to extend the validity of Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results conducted by JAMB from one year to a period of four (4) years has passed second reading in the House of Representatives.
Arguments for and Against the 4-Year Validity Bill
- Sponsor's Position: Leading the debate at plenary on Thursday, Rep. Tolulope Sadipe (APC-Oyo) argued that thousands of candidates score high marks in JAMB every year but miss out on admission due to limited university carrying capacity. She noted that international entrance tests like the SAT remain valid for up to five years, and extending UTME validity would relieve parents of the financial burden of paying for JAMB every single year.
- Opposing Views: Contributing to the debate, Rep. Nkem Abonta (PDP-Abia) and Rep. Chinyere Igwe (PDP-Rivers) argued against the extension, noting that UTME is a competitive annual placement examination rather than a terminal certificate examination, and banking scores across multiple years could complicate admissions and lower educational standards.
Next Legislative Step
Presiding over the session, the Deputy Speaker, Rep. Ahmed Wase, referred the bill to the relevant House Committee for further legislative action and public hearing.
EDITORIAL VERIFICATION
Published by Mentra Academic Research
Every study guide, syllabus analysis, and timing breakdown is cross-checked against official examination criteria (JAMB UTME, POST-UTME, and WAEC) by subject matter specialists.
