By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Reporter
PUBLIC OUTRAGE over mass failure in the 2025 UTME has forced the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board to initiate an immediate review of the examination process.
The Board confirmed it was responding to an “unusual volume of complaints” alleging technical errors, incomplete questions, and inexplicably low scores.
Over 1.5 million of the 1.9 million candidates reportedly scored below 200 marks, sparking national concern and a trending backlash under the hashtag #ThisIsNotMyResult.
The Board, through a statement issued by its Public Communication Advisor, Fabian Benjamin, said it had expedited its annual post-examination review, typically conducted months after the UTME.
“We are particularly concerned about the unusual complaints originating from a few states within the federation,” the statement read, noting that efforts were already underway to scrutinise and resolve any systemic issues.
The review process encompasses registration, the actual examination, and result release phases. According to the Board, any confirmed faults will be met with swift corrective action.
A taskforce of external experts has been convened to assist with the investigation.
These include measurement professionals, Vice Chancellors, representatives from the Computer Professionals Association of Nigeria, the Educational Assessment and Research Network in Africa, and Chief External Examiners from tertiary institutions nationwide.
JAMB reiterated its commitment to fairness, stating: “If it is determined that there were indeed glitches, we will implement appropriate remedial measures promptly.”
Public anxiety over the results has intensified as reports surface that thousands of candidates are preparing to file a class-action lawsuit against the Board.
Complaints include accounts of system crashes and erratic question displays during the exams, with many alleging that their scores do not reflect their actual performance.
Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, addressed the controversy on Channels Television, attributing the mass failure to the effectiveness of the Board’s anti-cheating technology.
He argued that JAMB’s computer-based testing system had significantly curbed malpractice and suggested that it be adopted by other examination bodies like WAEC and NECO.
JAMB Registrar Is-haq Oloyede has maintained that the 2025 scores are not unprecedented, citing similar performance patterns in previous years. However, his stance has done little to ease the growing public demand for transparency and equity in the UTME evaluation process.
Mounting frustration, fuelled by widespread distrust and viral social media posts, continues to place pressure on JAMB to address the crisis with urgency and openness.
