The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has attributed the high failure rate recorded in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to the effectiveness of anti-examination malpractice measures implemented by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
Speaking on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Tuesday, Alausa said the drastic drop in high scores confirms that cheating has been curbed significantly in JAMB’s computer-based exam system.
According to JAMB’s recently released data, only about 420,000 out of 1,955,069 candidates scored above 200, meaning over 78% failed to meet the benchmark. The statistics have sparked concern across the country.
“That’s a big concern, and it’s a reflection of exams being done the proper way,” Alausa said. “JAMB has implemented strong security measures, and as a result, fraud or cheating has been completely eliminated. Unfortunately, we cannot say the same for WAEC and NECO.”
He revealed that shortly after assuming office, the ministry initiated a review of Nigeria’s examination systems, leading to a major reform decision: both the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) will begin transitioning to computer-based testing (CBT) by November 2025, starting with objective sections. Full CBT adoption, including essay components, will follow by the May/June 2026 session.
“We have to use technology to fight this fraud,” he emphasized. “There are so many ‘miracle centres’, and that is simply unacceptable. People cheat during WAEC and NECO, and then they struggle in JAMB, where cheating is nearly impossible. That’s the disparity we’re seeing.”
Alausa warned that unchecked exam fraud undermines genuine efforts by hardworking students. “If a student knows others have access to questions ahead of time, they may lose the motivation to study. That’s how good students get corrupted,” he said.
When asked if the results reflect weak academic standards or tighter exam regulation, the minister noted that both were contributing factors. However, he stressed that pervasive malpractice remains the primary challenge.
“We’re improving the quality of teaching, rolling out online learning tools, and strengthening classroom support across primary and secondary schools. But the root issue is the environment of malpractice, especially in WAEC and NECO,” he said.
Alausa praised JAMB’s transformation into an almost fraud-free system and affirmed the government’s commitment to restoring integrity across all national exams.
“Our youths are intelligent and capable. It’s the compromised system that’s failing them. We’re determined to fix that,” he concluded.
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