The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) announced that 1,402,490 out of 1,842,464 candidates scored below 200 marks in the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), representing 78% of those whose results were released.
The UTME, a critical exam for university admission in Nigeria, saw a considerable number of candidates unable to meet half of the possible 400 marks, raising concerns about educational standards and preparedness.
During the announcement, JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, provided a detailed breakdown of the scores: 8,401 candidates achieved a score of 300 and above, 77,070 scored 250 and above, and 439,974 managed to score 200 and above.
However, the large number of candidates scoring below 200 points to a significant challenge in the education sector.
Prof. Oloyede explained that JAMB refrains from publishing the names of top scorers because the UTME is considered a ranking examination, with various other factors influencing admission processes at tertiary institutions.
He emphasized the importance of verifying high scores before awarding prizes due to the different admission criteria across institutions.
Further, JAMB is currently investigating the results of 64,624 candidates for various issues, including possible examination misconduct, while results for 1,842,464 candidates have been released. An additional 80,810 registered candidates were absent from the exams.
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This year, UTME was conducted not only nationally but also at nine foreign centers, as part of JAMB’s efforts to internationalize Nigerian higher education. These centers are located in major cities around the world including Abidjan, Addis Ababa, Buea, Cotonou, London, Jeddah, and Johannesburg.
JAMB’s announcement has sparked a broader discussion on the quality of secondary education and the preparedness of students for higher education challenges in Nigeria.
