The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has formally invited education technology expert Alex Onyia to conduct a thorough investigation into the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) following widespread reports of mass failure.
JAMB recently announced that over 1.5 million candidates out of the 1.9 million who sat for the examination scored below 200 out of the possible 400 marks, triggering concerns among parents, students, and education stakeholders across Nigeria.
Onyia, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Educare, confirmed the invitation in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday, stating that the review is scheduled for Thursday.
"I received a formal invitation from JAMB for us to transparently conduct a thorough review of the 2025 JAMB exam. The review date is next tomorrow (Thursday)," Onyia wrote. "After our review, I will publicly share my findings."
The investigation comes amid numerous complaints from candidates about technical glitches and incomplete questions that reportedly marred the examination process. These technical issues have been cited by many as potential factors contributing to the unusually high failure rate.
In his message to affected candidates, Onyia urged them to remain calm while assuring that something positive would emerge from the investigation.
"If you have been troubled, keep calm. I'm hopeful that something positive will come out of it. You burnt candles, had sleepless nights, and had high hopes. We will not fail you!" he added.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, had earlier attributed the mass failure to JAMB's effective anti-malpractice measures. However, his comments were met with criticism from various quarters, with many Nigerians insisting on a thorough investigation into the examination process.
The situation has also drawn attention from lawmakers, with South-East senators reportedly questioning JAMB about the examination glitches and warning against future occurrences.
The outcome of this investigation is expected to address concerns about the integrity of the examination process and potentially influence decisions regarding the fate of affected candidates.
