Ishaq Oloyede, Registrar, Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), says the board cannot extend the validity of Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results, as it is “a one-chance examination”.

Oloyede said the validity of the examination cannot be extended as wanted by candidates and their parents, noting that the examination is just a screening exercise, which is different from a certification examination.

He was speaking in Abuja on Tuesday at a stakeholders’ meeting on the 2018 UTME organized by JAMB.

“It is a screening examination and not a certification examination. Adis Ababa Convention, which Nigeria is a signatory to, stipulates qualifications for admission, which are O’ level exams; UTME is not part of them.

“It is a screening examination – a one-chance examination. Whereas achievement examination is not a one-chance examination, universities do not have enough space; candidates have to be screened and that is why we have JAMB.

“All over the world, such examinations cannot be extended; they cannot be used for any other purpose.”

He stressed that extension of validity of the examination would only complicate issues for the candidates.

Speaking on the conduct of Post-UTME by universities, Oloyede said there was nothing wrong in conducting such examinations, noting that the University Senate has the responsibility to admit candidates and screen them before admission.

He said what is only frowned at is using the examination to exploit the candidates.

Oloyede disclosed that 42 universities who were found to have charged more than the N2,000 stipulated as fee for Post-UTME have already been sanctioned by Adamu Adamu, Minister of Education.

He did not mention the affected universities and the amount they were to refund.