The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has described the high failure rate in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) as proof that the government’s clampdown on examination malpractice is working, especially within the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
His comments follow public concern after JAMB released statistics revealing that out of 1,955,069 candidates, only around 420,000 scored above 200, indicating that over 78 percent did not meet the 200-mark benchmark.
Appearing on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Tuesday, Alausa said the results demonstrate that tighter security protocols have made cheating much harder, particularly through JAMB’s computer-based testing system.
“That’s a big concern, and it’s a reflection of exams being done the proper way,” Alausa explained.
“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.”
The minister revealed that the education ministry undertook a thorough review of Nigeria’s examination systems shortly after he assumed office.
As part of ongoing reforms, Alausa announced that both the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) would begin implementing computer-based testing for objective sections starting in November 2025.
He added that a complete transition to the CBT model — covering both objective and essay questions — would take effect during the May/June 2026 exam cycle.
“We have to use technology to fight this fraud,” he 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,” Alausa added.
He further emphasized the harmful effect of exam malpractice on sincere students, warning that it erodes trust in the education system.
“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 resolve to reform the system using technology to ensure fairness and integrity in both exams and university admissions.
