The recently released results of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) have sent shockwaves through Nigeria’s education landscape, with more than 1.5 million candidates scoring below the 200 mark — the traditional benchmark for competitiveness in university admissions.
Out of the approximately 1.94 million candidates who sat for the examination conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), only a fraction crossed the 200 threshold. The revelation has sparked intense debate about the state of secondary education, exam preparedness, and systemic neglect in Nigeria's educational system.
“This isn’t just about poor scores. It’s a red flag — and we can’t afford to keep ignoring it,” said Dr. Chinyere Okafor, an education consultant based in Lagos.
According to the breakdown provided by JAMB, a majority of the candidates scored between 140 and 199, with less than 30% managing to hit the 200 mark. This marks a worrying continuation of the trend seen in previous years, though the 2025 figure represents one of the sharpest dips in recent memory.
Observers say the figures reflect more than just academic failure; they point to a deeply entrenched crisis.
“The problem starts long before UTME,” said Adebayo Lawal, a secondary school principal in Ibadan. “Many of these students are victims of poor teaching environments, outdated curricula, and the absence of learning support.”
As reactions pour in, various stakeholders — from parents and teachers to policymakers — have offered differing views on who or what is to blame. While some accuse students of laziness and social media distractions, others are more critical of government policies and infrastructural decay.
“We cannot expect magic from children who are taught in overcrowded classrooms, with no electricity, no books, and demotivated teachers,” said Farida Musa, a public school teacher in Kano.
Meanwhile, candidates themselves have shared mixed reactions, with some blaming difficult questions, changes in exam format, and poor internet access at CBT centers for their disappointing results.
With more than 1.5 million candidates scoring below 200, admission into tertiary institutions is set to become even more competitive, especially for courses with high cut-off marks like Medicine, Law, and Engineering. Many universities may have to revise their screening methods or consider lower thresholds to accommodate the gap.
JAMB, in its defense, has reiterated that the purpose of the UTME is not just to pass students but to ensure a merit-based entry into higher institutions.
“This result should challenge all of us — parents, educators, and policymakers — to rethink how we prepare students for the future,” a JAMB official noted.
The 2025 UTME results come at a critical time when Nigeria is grappling with youth unemployment, skills mismatch, and brain drain. Experts argue that the poor performance is symptomatic of a system that needs urgent, holistic reform — not just at the exam level, but from the grassroots of basic education.
“We must invest in teachers, rebuild school infrastructure, and embrace 21st-century learning,” said Professor Nnenna Eze of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. “Otherwise, we’re simply recycling disappointment.”
For many of the 1.5 million students affected, the journey isn’t over. Some will explore polytechnics, colleges of education, or consider writing again next year. But the bigger question remains: Will Nigeria address the root causes of educational decline, or simply brace for another disappointing statistic in 2026?
