The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has finally acknowledged errors in the recently concluded 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), following widespread concerns over mass failure among candidates.

According to reports, over 1.5 million candidates out of the 1.9 million who sat for the examination scored below 200 out of the maximum 400 marks, representing approximately 60% failure rate.

Prof. Joy Ezeilo (SAN), a former United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Trafficking and former Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Nigeria, Enugu, has commended JAMB's leadership for taking responsibility for the widespread failures.

Speaking with Daily Post on Wednesday, Prof. Ezeilo attributed the poor performance to the introduction of new technologies that many candidates were unfamiliar with, rather than a lack of intelligence among students.

"It is commendable that the JAMB leadership has taken responsibility for the widespread failures, which were partly due to the introduction of new technology that many candidates were unfamiliar with," she stated.

Prof. Ezeilo highlighted the digital divide in Nigeria, particularly in rural areas and among women and girls, as a significant factor contributing to the mass failure. She criticized the implementation of new exam policies without addressing these disparities.

"In a country as polarised as ours, with evident disparities between the rich and the poor, urban and rural areas, and between genders, it is inconsiderate to implement such an exam policy without addressing these issues, particularly the digital divide," she emphasized.

The senior advocate further advised that the introduction of new technologies for traditionally written exams should be gradual, suggesting a phased approach spanning five to ten years before completely eliminating handwritten entrance examinations.

"The key takeaway is that the introduction of new technologies for traditionally written exams should be gradual. This process should begin by providing choices and should span at least five to ten years before entirely phasing out handwritten JAMB entrance or other public exams," Prof. Ezeilo recommended.

JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, had earlier admitted to technical glitches that affected candidates' performance in the 2025 UTME, following mounting pressure from various stakeholders in the education sector.

The controversy has sparked calls for reforms in the examination body, with the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and members of the House of Representatives demanding accountability and thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the mass failure.