The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has admitted irregularities in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, following widespread concern over the poor performance of candidates.
The Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, made the announcement during a press conference on Wednesday in Abuja, describing the situation as “regrettable” and attributing the errors to technical lapses that may have affected scoring accuracy.
“What should have been a moment of joy has changed due to one or two errors,” Oloyede stated, acknowledging that several candidates may have been unfairly impacted by the mistakes.
This year, over 1.9 million students sat for the UTME—a mandatory exam for students seeking admission into tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
However, the overall performance has raised concern. According to JAMB, results were processed for 1,955,069 candidates, but only a small fraction performed exceptionally.
READ ALSO: Over 1.5 million JAMB candidates score low marks
Just 4,756 candidates scored 320 and above, and an additional 7,658 scored between 300 and 319, bringing the total number of candidates who scored 300 and above to only 12,414.
Meanwhile, a significant portion of candidates fell into lower score brackets, with more than half scoring between 160 and 199, a range often considered the minimum threshold for university admission. Many others scored below this range.
Professor Oloyede assured the public that JAMB is reviewing the affected results and will take the necessary steps to ensure fairness.
He also confirmed that remedial measures are being explored to avoid similar issues in the future and to restore trust in the examination process.
The revelation has sparked responses from students, parents, and education experts alike, many of whom are demanding greater transparency and reforms in the administration of national exams.
As the UTME remains a key criterion for entry into Nigerian universities, its credibility remains a matter of national concern.
Prompt News
