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| Students at JAMB CBT centre during UTME |
Over 1.9 million candidates sat for the 2025 UTME. Only 22 percent scored 200 marks or above. The rest failed Nigeria’s key exam . This mass failure has shaken families, schools, and policy makers.
The Education Rights Campaign (ERC) called it a clear sign of JAMB’s inefficiency. ERC said it also reveals the collapse of public education. The campaign group urged urgent action to fix the exam and our schools .
ERC warns that without reforms, more students will suffer. It urged fair marking, updated systems, and clear oversight in every centre.
JAMB admitted errors that hit 379,997 candidates at 157 centres. Faulty software updates led to missing results. A total of 206,610 candidates in Lagos and 173,387 in the South-East must retake their papers . This glitch alone fueled the low scores.
Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, JAMB’s registrar, publicly apologized. He wept as he took responsibility for the harm done to students. He said the error came from a service provider’s failure to update servers.
JAMB moved fast to reschedule exams. Affected students will sit again this week, at no extra fee.
Scores and Trends
Total candidates: 1,955,069
Below 200 marks: 78 percent
Between 160–199: 50.3 percent
200–249: 17.1 percent
250–299: 3.8 percent
300 and above: 0.63 percent
Only 0.4 percent scored above 300. This was the lowest top-end performance in five years.
ERC says the problem runs deeper than glitches. Inadequate school funding has left public classrooms in rot. Most centres lack stable power. Many seats sit empty. Teachers earn low wages. They lack training and materials.
ERC’s National Mobilisation Officer, Michael Adaramoye, said the collapse of public schools fuels exam woes. He called for a full audit of every stage of UTME. He also demanded that JAMB review results on request and allow script checks .
ERC wants the federal government to boost education budgets. It wants new labs, libraries, and teacher training. It also urged the adoption of open-book exams to test real understanding.
Teachers say many students arrive at UTME poorly prepared. They battle hunger and poor classrooms. One teacher in Enugu noted that 70 students share one textbook. Another in Lagos said power cuts force candidates to guess answers.
Parents tell of sleepless nights. A mother in Port-Harcourt spent her life savings on tuition. She watched her son miss entry by five marks. She fears he will drop out of school.
Education economist Dr. Adaeze Nnaji says Nigeria spends only 8 percent of its budget on schools. She says this is below UNESCO’s 20 percent benchmark. She warns that underfunding leads to poor learning. It also cripples exam processes.
She suggests ring-fencing funds for school repairs, teacher pay, and exam tech. She also calls for an independent exam board audit every year.
The UTME failure toll extends beyond marks. Reports say some candidates felt extreme stress. One 19-year-old student tragically took her life over low scores . Counselors warn of rising anxiety among teens.
ERC wants free counseling at all CBT centres. It also urges JAMB to run mental health workshops for students and parents.
Not all blame JAMB or schools alone. Some experts point to gaps in home support. They say students need extra tutoring and exam practice. They urge families to guide study habits and well-being.
Yet no one disputes that uneven resources and exam errors make success harder for many.
Path Forward: Clear Steps
1. Full Audit: Hire an independent firm to review JAMB systems and processes.
2. Script Review: Allow candidates to view and contest their marked answers.
3. Funding Boost: Increase education budget to 20 percent as UNESCO recommends.
4. Infrastructure Fix: Equip every CBT centre with stable power and updated servers.
5. Teacher Support: Raise wages, train staff, and supply modern materials.
6. Student Welfare: Provide free counseling and hot meals at exam sites.
7. Transparency Portal: Launch a public dashboard for real-time UTME results and issues.
The mass failure in the 2025 UTME is a wake-up call. It shows that weak systems and underfunded schools have dire effects on youth. It also proves that exam bodies must meet high standards.
ERC’s call for action is clear. Fix JAMB’s tech. Fund public schools. Support teachers. Help students. Only then can Nigeria ensure fair exams and strong education.
> “Our students deserve more than glitches and empty promises,” ERC said. “They need a system that works.”