By Kayode Adebiyi
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) released the results of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) a few days after the Computer-Based Test (CTB) was written across the country.
The results indicate that more than 1.5 million candidates who sat for the matriculation exam scored below 200, out of the total 1,955,069 candidates.
For context, this means that 420,415 candidates scored above 200—that is, around 25 per cent—while less than 1 per cent scored above 300.
Other statistics were revealed, including the 40,247 underage candidates who were permitted to demonstrate their exceptional abilities, with only 467 (or 1.16 per cent) achieving “scores that meet the threshold for exceptional ability as defined for the UTME”.
The outcome of the examination and the preceding circumstances are eliciting concerns from some stakeholders.
Ike Onyechere, Founder, Exam Ethics Marshall International (EEMI), said that the outcome was not surprising.
According to Onyechere, the examination is now being administered with ethics and professionalism hence the massive failure.
He added that the massive failure had exposed the deep-rooted problems in the nation’s education system.
“JAMB has made commendable efforts to ensure the integrity of the examination process by reducing opportunities for malpractice.
“I do not think the JAMB statistical analysis should surprise anybody.’’
He emphasised that universities were increasingly alarmed by the academic quality of incoming students, noting that many of them lacked basic foundational knowledge necessary for tertiary education.
Onyechere attributed the trend to systemic issues, including inadequate preparation, the inclusion of underqualified candidates, and a widespread cultural dependence on exam fraud.
”There is moral infrastructure decadence in the system; it is not just about the students; it involves stakeholders, schools, parents, and the government.
“Many students rely on fraudulent means to pass, and now that JAMB has blocked those avenues, their lack of preparedness is glaring.’’
He said that many candidates were not academically ready, as some were still in SS2 or underage, having not completed the syllabus.
He proposed a reform in the registration process, suggesting that only candidates with five credits in WAEC or NECO be allowed to sit in future for the UTME.
According to him, this will significantly reduce the number of applicants from nearly 2 million to about 1 million and ensure a more qualified candidate pool.
He also dismissed claims that the CBT format could be a barrier to performance.
”The CBT is easier in many ways; it is mostly objective, and technology is now part of everyday life, even market women are technologically inclined; we can’t blame CBT for the poor results.”
Onyechere urged students to focus on talent discovery and career alignment rather than chasing certificates.
“Exams are not rocket science; it is about working hard and understanding your strengths; education should be a journey of self-discovery, not just certification,” he said.
As JAMB, itself, acknowledged, 71,701 candidates were absent, and many candidates faced “biometric challenges”, making them unable to participate.
The board said it was investigating the matter, “and those who are cleared will be rescheduled for examination at designated centres”.
Some significant aspects of the 2025 UTME some parents, candidates and other stakeholders criticised are the registration process, CBT format and early timing.
They argue that, while the CBT format offers advantages such as faster grading and reduced instances of malpractice, it also presents challenges for some candidates.
“Access to reliable computer systems and internet connectivity was a concern at many centres at the just-concluded UTME, particularly for students in rural areas or those from less privileged backgrounds.
“The truth is that digital literacy of some candidates can also be a challenge, potentially placing them at a disadvantage compared to their more tech-savvy peers,” an educationist said.
Meanwhile, JAMB’s Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, made some clarifications.
Oloyode said the performance statistics for the 2025 UTME were in line with results recorded over the past 12 years.
He said that out of the 1.9 million candidates who sat for the UTME, approximately 1.5 million scored below 200.
The JAMB boss emphasised, however, that such results were not unusual and aligned with historical patterns.
“This is not peculiar to this year; the performance statistics are consistent with those of the last 12 years,’’ he said.
More so, some stakeholders say Oloyede, known for his uprightness, courage, and forward thinking, should continue to address the challenges faced by candidates and their sponsors and strive for continuous improvement.
They call on Oloyode and his team to enhance the robustness of JAMB’s registration platform, ensure equitable access to CBT facilities, and implement effective measures to prevent technical glitches during examinations.
They said Oloyede pioneered the use of the CBT format when he was Vice Chancellor at the University of Ilorin, and therefore, it is understandable to see his passion for it.
Nonetheless, JAMB’s Board’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr Fabian Benjamin, said the board had begun an investigation into the alleged technical glitches, following widespread complaints about poor performance in the 2025 UTME.
Benjamin said the board was also collaborating with vice-chancellors and IT experts to determine the root cause and ensure that affected candidates receive appropriate remedies if any errors were confirmed.
He said the board was also expediting its annual system review, a comprehensive post-mortem of the examination process, typically conducted months after the exercise.
According to him, the review will cover three key stages comprising, registration, examination, and result of the investigation.
He added that the board was particularly concerned about unusual complaints originating from a few states and scrutinising the issues in details to identify and resolve any technical faults.
“To assist in this process, we have engaged several experts, including members of the Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria, Chief External Examiners (who are heads of tertiary institutions), the Educational Assessment and Research Network in Africa, measurement experts, and Vice Chancellors from various institutions.
“If it is determined that there were indeed glitches, we will implement appropriate remedial measures promptly, as we do in the case of the examinations themselves,” he said.
Education stakeholders say a hybrid conduct of the UMTE in such a way that some candidates are allowed to use pencil and paper so that less tech-savvy candidates in rural areas are not schemed out of admission opportunities.
They opine that while there is no easy fix regarding poor performance, the contributions of other stakeholders can further strengthen JAMB’s role in facilitating fair and transparent access to tertiary education.
News Agency of Nigeria.
