The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that it will convene a high-level stakeholder review meeting on Thursday to assess the conduct and results of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) following widespread public outcry over mass failure and alleged technical issues.
A notice obtained by The PUNCH in Abuja confirmed that the meeting will include vice-chancellors, provosts, rectors, secondary school principals, exam coordinators, and technical experts from across Nigeria. The panel will review all stages of the exam process — registration, administration, and result release — to identify challenges and recommend solutions.
The decision comes in response to escalating complaints from candidates, parents, and stakeholders, particularly over inconsistent results and technical glitches experienced during the exam.
“We are particularly concerned about the unusual complaints originating from a few states within the federation,” JAMB’s spokesman, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, said.
“We are currently scrutinising these complaints in detail to identify and rectify any potential technical issues.”
Composition of the Review Panel
The review committee will feature representatives from:
All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS)
- National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS)
- Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria
- Educational Assessment and Research Network
- Senior officials from universities, colleges of education, and polytechnics
The notice emphasized that the review panel will operate at no cost to the board, underlining JAMB’s commitment to transparency and public trust.
“This is to appraise the conduct of the examination, identify any challenges, and proffer relevant recommendations to prevent a recurrence,” the statement said.
Alarming Performance Statistics
Out of 1,955,069 processed UTME results:
- Only 4,756 candidates (0.24%) scored 320 and above
- 7,658 candidates (0.39%) scored 300–319
- Combined, only 0.63% (12,414 candidates) scored above 300
- 73,441 candidates (3.76%) scored 250–299
- 334,560 candidates (17.11%) scored 200–249
However, the majority — over 75% — scored below 200:
- 983,187 candidates (50.29%) scored 160–199
- 488,197 candidates (24.97%) scored 140–159
- Smaller numbers scored even lower, with:
- 57,419 scoring 120–139
- 3,820 scoring 100–119
- 2,031 scoring below 100
These numbers have sparked public concern, particularly since 200 is widely regarded as the minimum benchmark for admission into many Nigerian tertiary institutions.
Legal Threats and Demand for Transparency
Some aggrieved candidates have threatened to sue JAMB, alleging that their poor results were due to technical failures and unfair practices, not academic shortcomings.
In response, JAMB stated that affected candidates are usually rescheduled if technical issues prevent them from sitting the exam properly. The board also emphasized that this review is an annual post-exam exercise, typically done months later, but now fast-tracked due to the intensity of the backlash.
The UTME is a crucial standardized test for admission into Nigerian universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education. It tests candidates in four subjects — including the compulsory Use of English — with others based on their chosen course of study.
This Thursday’s review is expected to play a pivotal role in restoring confidence in the exam system and ensuring fairness and accountability in future editions.
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