The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has attributed the high failure rate recorded in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to the federal government’s intensified crackdown on exam malpractice, especially within the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
His comments follow public concern after JAMB released figures revealing that out of the 1,955,069 candidates who sat for the 2025 UTME, only around 420,000 scored above 200. This indicates that over 78 percent of students failed to reach the 200-mark benchmark.
During an appearance on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Tuesday, Alausa explained that the sharp drop in scores is a direct outcome of JAMB’s reinforced security framework, which has significantly curbed cheating in its computer-based testing (CBT) process.
“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.”
According to Alausa, one of the first steps taken upon his appointment was a comprehensive review of Nigeria’s examination systems.
He revealed that the ministry is moving to extend CBT to other major examination bodies. Starting from November 2025, the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) will begin implementing computer-based testing, beginning with objective sections of the exams.
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The full rollout, which will include theory-based assessments, is expected by the May/June 2026 exam session.
“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 emphasized that widespread cheating damages the credibility of Nigeria’s education system and discourages honest students.
“The worst part of cheating is that it disincentivises the hard-working ones,” he said. “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.”
Alausa reaffirmed the government’s commitment to deploying technology as a central tool for ensuring fairness and integrity across the nation’s examination and admissions landscape.
