Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has attributed the mass failure in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to effective anti-malpractice measures, particularly within the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) system.
His comments come in the wake of widespread concerns following JAMB’s release of data showing that out of 1,955,069 candidates who sat for the exam, only about 420,000 scored above 200. More than 78% failed to meet the 200-mark threshold.
The Eagle Online reports that the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in his reaction, expressed deep concern over the poor performance in the recently released UTME results, calling them a reflection of Nigeria’s deteriorating education system.
In a statement shared via his verified social media handle, Obi described the results as symptomatic of deep-rooted issues in the nation’s education sector, citing years of neglect and underinvestment.
“These results highlight the consequences of decades of underinvestment in education, a sector that should be central to our national development strategy,” Obi said.
Also Read:
- President Tinubu greets ex-Gov. Lalong on birthday
- Olatunbosun urges indigenes to unite for Ibadan State creation
- 2025 UTME: Mass failure shows anti-cheating measures are working – Education Minister
- Ekiti restates ban on chiefs, individuals wearing beaded crown
- Tinubu’s camp in panic mode over Atiku-led coalition — Media Office
He contrasted Nigeria’s education outcomes with those of other countries.
While Nigeria’s total university enrollment stands at about two million students, Bangladesh’s National University alone enrolls over 3.4 million students, despite the country having only 75% of Nigeria’s population.
“Bangladesh, which once lagged behind Nigeria in virtually every measurable development index, now surpasses us in all key areas, including the Human Development Index (HDI),” he noted.
Obi also cited Turkey, with a population of around 87.7 million, and over seven million university students — more than three times Nigeria’s total.
Reaffirming his stance, Obi emphasized that education should not be viewed merely as a social service but as a strategic national investment.
In a counter argument, Alausa attributed the poor performance to reduced cheating due to JAMB’s stringent security protocols.
The Education Minister gave this position while speaking on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Tuesday.
His words: “That’s a big concern, and it’s a reflection of exams being done the proper way.
“JAMB conducts its exam using a computer-based testing system. They’ve implemented strong security measures, and as a result, fraud or cheating has been completely eliminated. Unfortunately, we cannot say the same for WAEC and NECO.”
Alausa revealed that shortly after taking office, the government carried out a comprehensive review of Nigeria’s examination systems, and as part of reforms, he announced that the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) will begin transitioning to computer-based testing (CBT) starting November 2025 with objective papers, followed by full CBT adoption, including essay sections, by May/June 2026.
His words: “We have to use technology to fight this fraud. There are so many ‘miracle centres’, and that is simply unacceptable.
“People cheat during WAEC and NECO exams and then face JAMB, where cheating is nearly impossible. That’s the disparity we’re seeing now. It’s sad.
“The worst part of cheating is that it disincentivises the hard-working ones. If I’m preparing for WAEC or NECO and I know some classmates already have access to the questions, do you think I’ll still study hard?
“No, I’ll be tempted to join them. That’s how good students are corrupted, and that’s exactly what we must stop.”
Addressing whether the poor results were due to weak enforcement or a genuine drop in academic standards, the minister admitted both played a role but stressed that widespread malpractice was the root issue.
“We’re addressing the quality of teaching and using technology, including online classes, to support learning from primary to secondary levels.
“But the pervasive cheating in our high school exams, especially WAEC and NECO, is the core problem,” he said.
“JAMB is now almost 100 per cent fraud-free, but WAEC and NECO still have major lapses.
“Our youths are intelligent, capable, and energetic. It’s the environment that corrupts them, and we’re determined to fix that,” Alausa added.
Follow The Eagle Online Channel on WhatsApp
