The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has stated that the high rate of failure in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination is proof that the government’s anti-malpractice measures are effective.
Daily Sun reported that over 1.5 million candidates who sat for the examination scored below 200.
While appearing on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Tuesday, Alausa said that the poor performance marks a major decline in examination malpractice due to JAMB’s tightened security protocols.
“That’s a big concern, and it’s a reflection of exams being done the proper way.
“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,” he said.
Alausa revealed that both the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council will transition to computer-based testing by November 2025, beginning with objective papers.
He added that the full CBT model, which includes essay sections, will be adopted by the May/June 2026 examination cycle.
“We have to use technology to fight this fraud. 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.”