By BusinessDay Reporter | May 5, 2025
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has attributed the widespread failure recorded in the recently released 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to the growing success of efforts aimed at curbing examination malpractice in the country.
Speaking to reporters in Abuja on Tuesday, Alausa described the outcome of this year’s UTME as a “painful but necessary revelation” of the true state of learning in the nation’s secondary schools, following intensified measures by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to uphold the integrity of public examinations.
UTME Results Expose Hard Truths
JAMB announced on Monday that only 22.13 percent of candidates — 432,829 out of 1,955,069 — scored 200 and above in this year’s examination, a statistic that has drawn widespread concern from parents, educators, and stakeholders across the country.
However, Dr. Alausa noted that the results, though disappointing, indicate progress in the federal government’s campaign against cheating and unethical practices in the education sector.
“For years, we have been battling with examination malpractice, where candidates and in some cases, schools, manipulated results to paint a false picture of academic excellence,” Alausa said.
“Now that strict security measures, technology-driven monitoring, and improved examination protocols have been enforced by JAMB, what we’re seeing is the true reflection of our learning environment. It’s painful, but it’s a starting point for genuine reform.”
Reforms and Curriculum Review in the Works
The Education Minister further disclosed that his ministry is collaborating with stakeholders to overhaul the national curriculum, strengthen teacher training, and improve infrastructure in public schools.
He acknowledged that the mass failure also reflects deeper issues within the education system — including outdated curricula, poor learning environments, and underinvestment in public education.
“We are not going to stop at exposing the weaknesses. The next phase is targeted intervention: curriculum reform, sustainable teacher development, and infrastructural improvement in our schools,” he stated.
A Wake-Up Call for the Nation
Dr. Alausa urged parents, school administrators, and state governments to view the UTME results as a wake-up call for collective responsibility in raising educational standards.
He also reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to expanding technical, vocational, and entrepreneurial education options for students who may not pursue traditional university education pathways.
“A single examination does not determine a child’s future. We must build a system that offers multiple opportunities for success — in universities, technical colleges, and vocational centres,” he said.
Stakeholders React
While some stakeholders have commended the ministry’s anti-malpractice stance, they also emphasised the need for immediate interventions to address systemic challenges affecting student performance.
Education analyst, Jessica Osuere, warned that without urgent investments in basic education, teacher welfare, and modern learning tools, the country risks further declines in academic achievement and youth development.
As debates around the 2025 UTME results intensify, the conversation now appears to be shifting from outrage over poor performance to a broader reflection on the need for comprehensive education sector reform.
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