Hon. Olamijuwonlo Alao-Akala, representing Ogbomoso North/Ogbomoso South/Oriire in the House of Representatives, has voiced his dismay over the performance of students in this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). He revealed that over 1.4 million students, constituting 76 percent of total applicants, failed to score up to 200, the common cut-off for university admissions. The lawmaker emphasized the need for collective concern from the government, schools, parents, and society, highlighting the necessity for a complete overhaul of the education system in Nigeria.

In a statement personally signed by Hon. Alao-Akala, he lamented that the trend of poor performance in UTME has persisted since 2018, with a significant majority of applicants scoring below the average mark. He pointed out that this issue is not limited to the current year but represents a longstanding pattern of underperformance, indicating systemic failures within the education sector. Despite advancements in technology and access to mobile devices among students, the root causes of the problem must be addressed comprehensively.

The lawmaker called for urgent action to address the crisis in the education sector, stressing the need for increased government funding and policy reform, especially at the primary and secondary levels. He emphasized the importance of realistic performance objectives and long-term planning to effect meaningful change. Hon. Alao-Akala’s statement underscores the gravity of the situation and the imperative for concerted efforts to revitalize Nigeria’s education system for the benefit of future generations.