UTME 2025: JAMB Reveals It Spends Over ₦200,000 to Support Each Deaf Candidate
Every deaf applicant who registers to take the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, or UTME, costs more than N200, according to information released by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, or JAMB.
JAMB further stated that it ensures full parity with other examinees, requires all instructions to be given in writing, and mainstreams help for deaf candidates in general centers.
They receive visual cues and badges. It’s expensive; about N200,000 is spent on every candidate, but it is a cost worth bearing,” the board disclosed.
Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, the Registrar of JAMB, made this statement on Tuesday while accompanying Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, the Minister of State for Education, to observe the ongoing UTME at the Centre for the Blind, which is housed at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Abuja headquarters. He said that, in addition to the exam, candidates who receive more than five credits are reimbursed their registration fees upon arriving for the UTME, stating that the gesture was “a moral responsibility to show they matter.” Oloyede emphasized the board’s commitment to equity and said that inclusivity is still the hallmark of a just society, saying, “We believe those who are differently abled can perform wonders.”
We make sure they feel appreciated by the country because of this,” he stated.
Eleven disability-specialized centers are being operated by JAMB in the FCT, Lagos, Edo, Oyo, and Kaduna states.
According to the registrar, each center is positioned to provide applicants with easier access to exams in their localities.
In addition to guiding tertiary institutions in admitting and assisting students with special needs, the inclusive policy was created with input from education stakeholders, including Emeritus Prof. Peter Okebukola.
Consequently, more than 70% of the UTME applicants who were physically challenged last year were accepted into colleges of education, universities, and polytechnics.
The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, spoke after observing the exercise and praised JAMB for breaking down barriers in Nigeria’s educational system by offering complete support to 501 candidates with physical disabilities who are taking the 2025 UTME at 11 specialized centers nationwide.
Ahmad praised JAMB for not only making the test accessible but also for paying for all related expenses, such as lodging, transportation, and personal assistants for applicants with special needs.
She emphasized the board’s crucial role in advancing the federal government’s inclusive education objective by saying, “Many would never have had the chance to write this exam without these provisions.”
The minister also confirmed that NECO and WAEC will soon follow suit, bringing Nigeria into line with international best practices, as JAMB is spearheading the digital transformation of exams and developing inclusive policies.
Prof. Sunday Ododo, the center coordinator at NOUN, praised JAMB’s leadership and reliability as well.
“We appreciate the chance to be of service.” This is a national commitment to human dignity, not just an examination,” he stated.
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