The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has stated that the high failure rate in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) serves as clear evidence that the government’s anti-malpractice measures are working effectively, particularly within the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
Speaking on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Tuesday, Alausa addressed the growing concerns after JAMB released the results of the 2025 UTME, revealing that only about 420,000 out of 1,955,069 candidates scored above 200, which is a passing mark. This means that more than 78 percent of the candidates failed to meet the required threshold.
“The poor performance is actually a sign that our measures are working,” the minister explained. “It shows that the examination system is now being conducted in a more transparent and fair manner.” Alausa added that the significant drop in the number of successful candidates reflects a noticeable decline in exam malpractice, something he credits to JAMB’s strengthened security measures.
JAMB, he noted, has implemented an advanced computer-based testing system, which has helped eliminate cheating and fraudulent activities during the exam. “JAMB conducts its exam using a computer-based testing system. They’ve 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,” Alausa said.
The education minister went on to explain that upon taking office, the Ministry of Education undertook a comprehensive review of the nation’s examination systems. This review, he said, revealed gaps that needed addressing, particularly in areas like security and the integrity of the exams.
In line with efforts to improve the nation’s examination systems, Alausa also announced a significant reform plan. He revealed that the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) would begin transitioning to computer-based testing by November 2025, with objective papers being the first to be administered through this new system.
