Edem Inyang
The release of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has triggered widespread concern across the country. With more than 1.5 million of the 1.9 million candidates scoring below 200 out of 400, Nigeria’s education system appears to be in crisis.
This mass failure, accounting for nearly 78% of all candidates, represents one of the poorest national performances in recent years. Only 12,414 students managed to score above 300, a figure that constitutes a meager 0.63% of the total candidates. Meanwhile, only 22% of examinees scored above 200—barely qualifying for admission into most Nigerian universities.
While poor performance in JAMB exams is not a new issue, this year’s statistics are alarming and indicative of deeper problems. According to Minister of State for Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, the poor results can be attributed, in part, to JAMB’s enhanced security measures and its crackdown on examination malpractice. He applauded the board’s use of technology and artificial intelligence to detect cheating, claiming it has significantly reduced fraud in the testing process.
Dr. Alausa emphasized that the result is a reflection of what students truly know, now that cheating is nearly impossible. He went further to criticize other examination bodies like WAEC and NECO, urging them to adopt the same integrity-focused policies as JAMB. While this anti-malpractice narrative may partially explain the low scores, it doesn’t fully justify why so many students lack basic preparedness for tertiary education.
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Former Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has also weighed in on the situation. He described the outcome of the 2025 UTME as a national disgrace and a direct consequence of long-standing neglect of the education sector. Obi pointed out that the consistent underfunding of education, outdated curriculums, poorly trained teachers, and inadequate infrastructure have all contributed to the current crisis.
He urged the Federal Government to view the 2025 JAMB results as a wake-up call and take urgent action to save the future of Nigerian youths. Obi also called on stakeholders—parents, educators, community leaders, and state governments—to come together and demand meaningful reforms in the education system.
Education experts agree that this year’s results are not just a JAMB problem. They reflect the broader decay in Nigeria’s foundational education system, especially at the primary and secondary school levels. Many students enter senior secondary school without mastering basic literacy and numeracy skills. By the time they sit for their UTME, they’re already several steps behind.
To address this, Nigeria needs a coordinated response that goes beyond political statements. Increased investment in public schools, rigorous teacher training programs, and a complete overhaul of the national curriculum are urgently needed. More attention must also be paid to digital literacy and online resources, as many students continue to struggle with computer-based testing—a format JAMB now uses exclusively.
Parents also have a role to play. Many rely solely on schools to educate their children, without being involved in their academic development at home. Likewise, some schools focus more on preparing students to “pass exams” rather than ensuring they actually understand the subject matter.
Ultimately, this year’s UTME results should not just be another news cycle that fades in a week. They are a mirror showing us the true condition of our education system—and the reflection is not pretty. Without urgent and sustained action, the future of millions of Nigerian youths will remain uncertain.
If Nigeria is serious about development, economic growth, and global competitiveness, then rescuing its failing education system must become a national priority.
