Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has said that high failure rate in 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination is proof that anti-malpractice measures are working effectively.
Dr. Alausa’s statement is coming, amid nationwide concern following a just concluded Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board examination.
Recall that INFORMATION NIGERIA had reported that JAMB’s released results showed that out of 1,955,069 candidates who sat for the 2025 UTME, only about 420,000 scored above 200, meaning more than 78 percent failed to meet the 200-mark threshold.
Reacting to the development on Tuesday, during an interview with Channels Television, Alausa said that the drop in performance reflects a significant decline in examination malpractice due to JAMB’s tightened security protocols.
He said: “That’s a big concern, and it’s a reflection of exams being done the proper way,” the minister said.
“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.
“We have to use technology to fight this fraud. 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 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.”