*Alausa

The minister of education, Dr. Tunji Alausa and the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Mr Peter Obi, have expressed worry over mass failure recorded  in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted recently by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

Recall that JAMB had disclosed that that 4, 756 candidates scored above 320 while 7658 candidates scored between 300 and 319.

On a disturbing note, the examination umpire announced that out of 1,955,069 candidates who took the test, over 1.5 million scored less than 200.

Reacting to the development, Alausa contended that the drop in performance was a reflection of a significant decline in examination malpractice due to JAMB’s tightened security protocols.

“That’s a big concern, and it’s a reflection of exams being done the proper way. 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 the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO),” he said.

The minister further said upon assumption of office, the ministry of education conducted a full review of the country’s examination systems.

As part of broader reforms, he announced that both the WAEC and the NECO will begin transitioning to computer-based testing by November 2025, starting with objective papers.

The full CBT model — including essay sections — will be adopted by the May/June 2026 examination cycle.

“We have to use technology to fight this fraud,” Alausa said. “There are so many ‘miracle centres’, and that is simply unacceptable. People cheat during WAEC and NECO exams and then face JAMB, where cheating is nearly impossible. That’s the disparity we’re seeing now. It’s sad,” the minister said.

He also warned that exam malpractice undermines academic integrity and demoralises diligent students.

“The worst part of cheating is that it disincentivises the hard-working ones.

“If I’m preparing for WAEC or NECO and I know some classmates already have access to the questions, do you think I’ll still study hard? No, I’ll be tempted to join them. That’s how good students are corrupted, and that’s exactly what we must stop,” he added.

On his part, Obi blamed the mass failure on poor investment in the nation’s education sector.

 

*Obi

In a statement posted on his X handle, the LP chieftain called for more investment in the nation’s education sector, saying it is the bedrock of national development.

“I have consistently said it: education is not just a social service; it is a strategic investment. It is the most critical driver of national development and the most powerful tool for lifting people out of poverty.

“We must now invest aggressively in education — at all levels — if we are serious about building a prosperous, secure, and equitable Nigeria,” he said.

He added: “The latest JAMB figures highlight the consequences of years of failing to prioritise education, a sector that ought to be the bedrock of our national development.”

Drawing comparisons with other countries, Obi said Nigeria now lags behind nations it once outpaced development indicators.

“Bangladesh, which once trailed Nigeria across virtually in all measurable indices, now outperforms us in key areas, including the Human development index (HDI),” he noted.

He added that while Nigeria has approximately two million students enrolled across its universities, Bangladesh’s National University alone accommodates over 3.4 million students, despite having just 75% of Nigeria’s population.

In contrast, he said Turkey, with a population of 87.7 million, has more than seven million students in tertiary institutions.

“Education is not merely a social obligation. It is a strategic investment — the most vital tool for national development and poverty alleviation,” Obi stressed.

He urged the federal government to take a swift and comprehensive action by investing robustly in education across all levels to secure a prosperous and equitable future for the country.