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In a shocking revelation, Education Minister Tunji Alausa has pointed the finger at President Bola Tinubu’s stringent anti-malpractice policy as the root cause of the staggering mass failures in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), while controversially accusing underperforming students of corruption. The claim, made during a Tuesday interview with Channels TV, has sparked outrage as it sidesteps deep-rooted systemic issues plaguing Nigeria’s education sector.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) released the 2025 UTME results, revealing a dismal performance: only 420,000 of the 1,955,069 candidates scored above 200, a benchmark often considered critical for university admission. Alausa attributed this unprecedented failure rate to Tinubu’s integrity policy, which he said ensured only “hard-working” students passed. “That’s a big concern, and it’s a reflection of exams being done the proper way,” Alausa stated. He praised JAMB’s computer-based testing system for its robust security measures, claiming it has “completely eliminated” fraud and cheating, unlike the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Examinations Council (NECO) exams.
Alausa doubled down, alleging that students scoring below 200 were attempting to cheat in a system where malpractice is now nearly impossible. “We have to use technology to fight this fraud. There are so many ‘miracle centres’, and that is simply unacceptable,” he said, referring to notorious exam centres known for aiding cheating. He argued that cheating in WAEC and NECO exams sets students up for failure in JAMB’s tightly controlled environment. “The worst part of cheating is that it disincentivises the hard-working ones,” Alausa added. “If I’m preparing for WAEC or NECO and I know some classmates already have access to the questions, do I still study hard? No, I’ll be tempted to join them. That’s how good students are corrupted, and that’s what we must stop.”
The minister’s remarks have raised eyebrows, as he appeared to shield Tinubu’s administration and past governments from blame, instead painting students as the culprits. Alausa’s comments glossed over critical challenges crippling Nigeria’s education system, including a severe shortage of qualified teachers, dilapidated school infrastructure, and a lack of instructional materials. The nation’s academic curriculum, widely criticized as outdated and ill-equipped to address modern challenges, was also ignored. Additionally, inconsistent academic calendars have created disparities among students, with schools in many Northern states closing for up to a month during the Ramadan fast, costing students crucial preparation time as the 2025 UTME loomed.
Analysts argue that Alausa’s focus on exam malpractice oversimplifies a complex crisis, pointing to systemic failures as the true driver of the UTME’s dismal results. The minister’s decision to pin the blame on students, while defending the government’s policies, has ignited debate about accountability and the future of Nigeria’s education system. As parents, students, and educators grapple with the fallout, the question remains: will the government address these deeper issues, or continue to point fingers at the very students struggling within a broken system?
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