May 11, (THEWILL) – The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, last week released the statistical breakdown of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME. The result showed a disappointing performance that revealed a deep rot in the educational system at the secondary level.
But first, the haunting statistics. According to the board, analysis of candidates’ performance records showed that over 1.5 million candidates scored below 200. The records showed that a dismal 12,414 candidates, representing 0.63 per cent of the total 1,955,069 candidates who sat for the examination, scored 300 and above. Of this group, 4,756 candidates representing 0.24 per cent scored 320 and above, while 7,658, representing 0.39 per cent scored between 300 and 319.
In stark contrast, 983,187 candidates, or 50.29 per cent, fell within the 160–199 score range, the threshold typically considered the minimum cut-off for admission into tertiary institutions. According to JAMB, another 334,560 candidates, representing 17.11 per cent scored between 200 and 249, positioning them in the moderate performance bracket. Among over 550,000 candidates who scored below 160, about 488,197 candidates (24.97 per cent fell within the 140–159 range, while 57,419, representing 2.94 percent, scored between 120 and 139. A total of 5,851 candidates, representing just 0.30 per cent, scored below 120, with 2,031 scoring under 100.
What readily comes from these figures is a reflection of the structural and infrastructural challenges facing the education sector generally. Firstly, JAMB itself has been progressively lowering the bar in the cut-off marks for admission, despite stiff opposition from Vice-Chancellors. In the first instance, it reduced the mark to 200, then 180 and 140 out of 400 for universities and 100 for polytechnics. Was this reduction aimed to encourage competence and merit or entrench mediocrity?
What is even amazing is the reaction of the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, to the recent JAMB statistics. According to him, the statistics show that anti-malpractice measures are working.
“That’s a big concern and a reflection of exams being done the proper way. JAMB conducts its exams, using a computer-based testing system. They’ve implemented strong security measures, and as a result, fraud or cheating has been completely eliminated. Unfortunately, we cannot say the same for WAEC and NECO.”
For him, the introduction of computer-based testing system would be introduced to WAEC and NECO exams soon.
There is no doubt that examination malpractice is a major challenge with the education system in Nigeria. But, this fraud has been a recurring problem with examinations in Nigeria. It is as old as the country. So, to make it the only challenge facing the sector is to miss the root cause of the problem. And there are many.
The deplorable state of public schools in many states of the federation leaves much to be desired. Poor equipment, overcrowding and a dubious admission process are some of the problems. Then there is poor pay, poor staffing and a lack of modern instructional materials, training or technology required to deliver 21st-century education, particularly in the age of AI.
Currently, Nigeria has a large number of out-of-school children, estimated at 18.3 million, said to be plagued by insecurity, poverty and gender disparity. This points to the fact that at the foundational primacy level, the future of many Nigerians is already predetermined by dire environmental challenges.
Inasmuch as we agree with examination results as a mark of merit, we think the government should pay attention to the entire education value chain to be able to properly assess the challenges facing the sector and address them frontally.
