Preliminary data from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) indicates that more than 1.5 million candidates scored below 200 in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). The figure, which represents over 75% of all registered candidates, has raised serious concerns about the quality of education in Nigeria.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, who addressed a press briefing in Abuja, attributed the performance to widespread under-preparation, poor reading culture, and systemic issues within secondary education.
He also cited cases of malpractice and technical glitches in some CBT centers.
Education stakeholders are now calling for urgent reforms, including better teacher training, curriculum review, and improved funding for public schools. “We are not just failing the students; we are failing the future of this country,” said a representative of the National Parent-Teacher Association.
Despite the poor performance, JAMB has assured candidates that cut-off marks for admission will be decided in consultation with tertiary institutions, taking overall performance into consideration.
