*Nigeria’s Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board announces the public examination body will meet with rectors, provosts, principals, and examiners to review the results of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination over what the聽 body has described as ‘unusual’ public complaints

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

Sequel to barrage of complaints of exam result discrepancies by candidates over the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), rectors, provosts, principals and public examination examiners expected to meet with the top Management officials of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Thursday, May 15, 2025.

绿帽献妻 reports the Board, in a notice released in Abuja FCT, noted that it would review this year’s results of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, following what the examination body described as 鈥渦nusual鈥� public complaints.

The move comes is coming amid mounting protests from candidates and parents over the results JAMB released last Friday.

The UTME is a critical prerequisite for admission into tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

The examination tests candidates in four subjects, including the compulsory Use of English, with three other related subjects from their proposed fields of study.

JAMB affirmed confirmed the proposed UTME review meeting would bring together Vice-Chancellors, provosts, rectors, school principals, examiners, and technical experts to scrutinise the examination process towards addressing the widespread dissatisfaction expressed by candidates and stakeholders in the education system.

Besides the stakeholders, scores of candidates have companies about technical glitches and inconsistencies during the examination.

The official notice indicated that the review panel, which includes members from the All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools, the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria, the Educational Assessment and Research Network, and top officials from Nigeria鈥檚 tertiary institutions, would evaluate the conduct and outcome of the 2025 UTME.

It also stated: 鈥淚n furtherance of the commitment of the Board to earn public confidence in its processes, the Management of the Board has approved your participation to be part of the review panel constituted to appraise the conduct of the examination with the mandate to identify challenges, if any, and proffer relevant recommendations to prevent a recurrence.”

The notice equally noted the panel鈥檚 assignment will be at no cost to the Board.

Analysis of candidates’ performance in 2025 UTME

JAMB, in a blog post on its verified official X account May 5, had highlighted that 1,955,069 candidates sat for the examination, and 1,534,654 candidates鈥攔epresenting 78.5 percent鈥攕cored below the 200 mark.

It stated that out of the 1.9 million candidates who sat the UTME this year, over 1.5 million reportedly scored below 200 out of the maximum 400 marks, raising concerns across the education sector.

The Board said that a total of 1,955,069 results were processed, out of which only 4,756 candidates (0.24 percent) scored 320 and above, considered top-tier performance, while 7,658 candidates (0.39 percent) scored between 300 and 319, bringing the total for those who scored 300 and above to 12,414 candidates (0.63 percent).

Besides, 73,441 candidates (3.76 per cent) scored between 250 and 299 while 334,560 candidates (17.11 percent) scored between 200 and 249.

A total of 983,187 candidates (50.29 per cent) scored between 160 and 199, which is widely regarded as the minimum threshold for admissions in many institutions.

Likewise, 488,197 candidates (24.97 percent) scored between 140 and 159, 57,419 candidates (2.94 percent) scored between 120 and 139, 3,820 candidates (0.20 percent) scored between 100 and 119, and 2,031 candidates (0.10 percent) scored below 100.

Over 75 percent of all candidates (1.5 million) scored below 200, average score seeing as the examination is graded over 400.

Meanwhile, some affected UTME candidates have threatened to initiate a lawsuit against JAMB, according to report.

In his remarks on the examination results controversy, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, Spokesman of JAMB in a statement Monday, May 12 reportedly said the Board was accelerating its annual post-examination system review.

The Board’s current system typically, assesses the registration, examination, and result phases months after the exercise.

Dr. Benjamin stated: 鈥淲e are particularly concerned about the unusual complaints originating from a few states within the Federation.

鈥淲e are currently scrutinising these complaints in detail to identify and rectify any potential technical issues.鈥�

The statement also revealed the Board is scrutinising these stakeholders’ complaints in detail to identify and rectify potential technical issues.

JAMB said the annual review encompasses three key stages: registration, examination, and result release.

The examination body further explained that during the examination, it ensures that every candidate is afforded the opportunity to sit the test, and should any technical issues arise, the Board reschedules the examination for any affected candidates.

Speaking on the development, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, Registrar of JAMB, said that the performance statistics for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination are quite in line with results recorded over the past 12 years.

He emphasised, however, that such results are not unusual and align with historical patterns.

鈥淭his is not peculiar to this year. The performance statistics are consistent with those of the last 12 years.”

Also in a comparative analysis of UTME candidates’ performances in recent years, JAMB said in 2024, 76 percent of candidates, who sat the UTME scored less than 200 points.

In 2022, 1.3 million candidates out of 1.7 million 鈥� or 78 per cent 鈥� who sat the 2022 UTME scored below 200, according to JAMB.

Whereas in 2021, only 803 candidates out of 1.3 million 鈥� or 0.06 percent 鈥� who sat the 2021 UTME scored above 300.

Government鈥檚 anti-malpractice measures yielding results, says Education Minister

Dr. Tunji Alausa, Honourable Minister for Education, also reacting to the results, said the high failure rate in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination was clear evidence that the government鈥檚 anti-malpractice measures were yielding results, especially within the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board system.

In respect of the candidates’ performance Dr. Alausa maintained that the results reflect the Federal Government鈥檚 strengthened efforts at combating examination malpractices while ensuring integrity in the admissions process in Nigeria.

It was gathered that several candidates and parents have continued to allege discrepancies in the released results with some calling on the Board to release the modalities with which it scored each candidate in the examination.

Some candidates, however, rejected their results, insisting they do not reflect their actual performance.

A group of candidates, numbering over 8,000, even submitted complaints regarding technical glitches experienced during the examination, report said.

Still amid the protestations over the results, Afolabi Ayodeji, a 15-year-old UTME candidate from Icons Comprehensive College, in Ijapo Estate, in Akure, Ondo State capital, scored 370 out of 400 maximum marks obtainable, setting a landmark record in this year’s results.

A breakdown of his scores, according to JAMB, indicates: Mathematics 鈥� 98, Physics 鈥� 98, Chemistry 鈥� 94 and Use of English 鈥� 80, highlighting his exceptional grasp of both the sciences and language subjects.

Ayodeji鈥檚 370 score is the highest recorded in over a decade, marking a noteworthy milestone in Nigeria鈥檚 education sector in over a decade, according to report.

According to data from JAMB, no individual has attained a score of 370 since the inception of the board鈥檚 computer-based test in 2013, making his feat the highest in this era.

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