Ola Akinwunmi
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) will convene an emergency review meeting on Thursday with vice-chancellors, rectors, and education stakeholders to address widespread outcry over the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results, which saw over 1.5 million candidates—75% of test-takers—score below 200 out of 400 marks.
The move follows escalating protests from students and parents alleging technical glitches, scoring inconsistencies, and demands for transparency.
The results, released last Friday, sparked immediate backlash, with candidates nationwide rejecting scores they claim starkly contradict their performance.
Over 8,000 formal complaints have reportedly been lodged, citing incomplete exam questions, system crashes, and mismarked answers.
JAMB spokesperson Dr Fabian Benjamin acknowledged the surge in grievances, calling them “unusual” and pledging a thorough review.
“We are scrutinising these complaints to identify and rectify technical issues,” he stated, noting the board’s annual post-exam audit had been fast-tracked to address concerns.
Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede defended the results as consistent with historical trends, citing similar failure rates in 2024 (76% below 200) and 2022 (78% below 200).
Education Minister Dr Tunji Alausa controversially framed the mass failures as evidence of “successful anti-malpractice measures”, claiming tightened exam integrity.
“These results reflect genuine performance, not systemic flaws,” he asserted.
Critics, however, argue the narrative ignores glaring technical flaws, with parents demanding remarking and transparency in scoring.
Amid the uproar, 15-year-old Afolabi Ayodeji of Akure’s Icons Comprehensive College emerged as a standout, scoring 370—the highest in over a decade. His marks (Mathematics: 98, Physics: 98, Chemistry: 94, English: 80) defy the trend, though his success has done little to quell demands for systemic reform.
The review panel—comprising principals, private school owners, IT experts, and tertiary institution heads—will dissect the exam’s registration, administration, and grading processes. JAMB emphasised the forum aims to “restore public confidence” and prevent future crises. Candidates affected by technical disruptions will be offered retakes, per protocol.
Angry candidates and advocacy groups threaten lawsuits if grievances go unaddressed. “We demand accountability. These results don’t reflect our children’s capabilities,” a parent coalition declared.
