By John Umeh
Widespread concern has trailed the performance of candidates in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), as over 1.5 million students scored below 200 out of a possible 400 marks.
According to data released by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), only a fraction of the over 1.9 million candidates who sat for the examination met or exceeded the 200-mark benchmark, a traditional cutoff for many competitive courses and institutions.
Education stakeholders, parents, and analysts have expressed alarm over the outcome, describing it as a reflection of deeper systemic issues in Nigeria’s education sector, including poor learning environments, underfunding, and inadequate preparation.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, acknowledged the performance trend, attributing it to a combination of factors, including examination malpractice clampdowns, poor study habits, and reliance on “miracle centres.”
“The board remains committed to upholding the integrity of the examination and will continue to strengthen measures to ensure fairness while encouraging better preparation among candidates,” Oloyede stated.
Experts have called for urgent reforms, including curriculum review, teacher training, and more robust learning support systems to bridge the growing gap in academic performance.
With university admission processes set to begin soon, institutions may be forced to reconsider cut-off marks or adopt alternative screening methods to fill available slots.
