TODAY’S VIEWPOINT LOOKS AT JAMB AND THE BROKEN SYSTEM
Disappointment settled over many homes when the joint admissions and matriculation board, jamb announced the release of the 2025 UTME results recently.
Silence from candidates who had dared to dream, and silence from their parents who had done all they could to keep hope alive through study, prayers, and sleepless nights of studying.
Of the over 1.94 million candidates who sat for the examination between April 24 and May 5, 2025, more than 1.5 million, about 78% scored below the 200 mark out of 400.
The minister of education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, defended the outcome.
According to the minister, JAMB had successfully curbed examination malpractice.
The minister overlooked the gravity of the situation, where nearly 80% of candidates performing poorly in a national exam poses a significant threat to the nation’s educational well-being.
The recent UTME results also revealed that 467 out of 40,247 underage candidates met the threshold for exceptional ability, while the results of others were withheld.
It is concerning that jamb allowed so many underage candidates to sit for the exam in the first place.
Given this, the board should demonstrate transparency by releasing the performance data of all underage candidates, not just those who met the threshold.
It is sad that some Computer-based Test (CBT) centres struggled with poor internet, power outages, or outright disorganisation.
Disappointment filled the air as candidates discovered their UTME scores fell short of their expectations.
JAMB may have succeeded in tightening its grip on malpractice, but a system that merely prevents cheating but leaves learners unsupported, unprepared, and ultimately unsuccessful has only won a shallow victory.
Education is not just about enforcement, it is about empowerment.
National exam results reflect the overall effectiveness of the education system, highlighting areas of success and failure.
Now is the time to stop blaming only the students.
The nation must also confront cases of overcrowded classrooms, underpaid teachers, lack of modern teaching/learning tools and an outdated curriculum.
The anguish of hopeful students, the strain on parents’ finances and emotions, and the frustration of teachers who poured their hearts into their work demand a deeper look and real change.
The 2025 UTME results are not just figures on a chart but a wake-up call.
A nation that consistently fails its children at the gateway to higher learning cannot hope to build a strong future.
