Widespread JAMB Failures Raise Alarms Over Declining Educational Standards

A staggering 1.5 million out of the 1.9 million candidates who sat for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), scored below 200. The outcome has triggered widespread concern about the quality of education and the preparedness of Nigerian students.

Speaking on the issue, Ike Onyechere, Founder of Exam Ethics Marshall International (EEMI), told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday that the results were not entirely unexpected. According to Onyechere, JAMB’s firm commitment to ethical standards and professionalism has made malpractice more difficult, thus exposing the underlying flaws in the education system.

“JAMB has made significant strides in safeguarding the integrity of its examination process by limiting avenues for cheating,” he said. “The statistical outcome shouldn’t shock anyone.”

Onyechere noted that universities have long been concerned about the academic quality of incoming students, many of whom lack the foundational knowledge required for tertiary education. He attributed the trend to systemic issues such as poor preparation, the enrollment of underqualified candidates, and a widespread dependence on exam malpractice.

“There is a moral breakdown within the system,” he emphasized. “This issue involves not just students, but also schools, parents, and government institutions. Many candidates depend on dishonest means to succeed, and now that JAMB has shut those doors, their lack of academic readiness has become obvious.”

He also pointed out that many candidates were still in SS2 or were underage, and had not completed the required syllabus, making them ill-prepared for the exam.

To address this, Onyechere proposed that only students who have earned at least five credits in WAEC or NECO should be eligible to register for the UTME. This, he argued, would reduce the number of applicants from nearly 2 million to about 1 million and ensure a more qualified candidate pool.

Dismissing concerns about the Computer-Based Test (CBT) format being a barrier to success, Onyechere said: “The CBT format is actually more straightforward. It’s mostly objective, and digital literacy is now common—even market women use smartphones. CBT is not to blame for these results.”

He also urged students to focus more on discovering their talents and aligning their education with future careers rather than merely chasing certificates.

“Exams aren’t rocket science. Success comes from hard work and understanding one’s strengths. Education should be about self-discovery, not just acquiring certificates,” he said.

Commending government initiatives to emphasize trade and vocational subjects in the curriculum, Onyechere highlighted the growing importance of practical skills in today’s workforce.

He concluded by calling on all education stakeholders to reflect deeply on the root causes of these failures and take urgent steps to reform Nigeria’s education system.