An Education expert, Mr Simon Fowowe, has commended the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), on plans to review the just concluded Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Fowowe, who is the National President of the Association of Nursery and Primary Education Instructors (ANPEIN), made the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN), on Wednesday in Lagos.
Fowowe described the plan as “timely and necessary” saying that there should be an immediate review of the marking, while calling for immediate investigation on the examination.
The education expert said that the proposed remedial reflected a critical juncture in Nigeria’s educational landscape.
“The recent discussions surrounding JAMB and its proposed remedial measures reflect a critical juncture in Nigeria’s educational landscape.
“While specific details about the remedial measures are yet to be fully disclosed, the context provided by recent events offers insight into the challenges and potential directions for reform,” he said.
He said a significant concern highlighted by JAMB was the prevalence of examination malpractice, particularly in the realm of Direct Entry admissions.
“The board has uncovered over 1,600 fake A’Level results, underscoring the need for stringent verification processes.
“JAMB has called for comprehensive legal reforms to combat this issue effectively, including amending outdated legislation and enhancing penalties for offenders.
“In early 2025, JAMB faced scrutiny from the National Assembly over alleged excessive expenditures, such as N1.1 billion on meals and N850 million on fumigation.
“However, upon review, the Joint Committee on Finance cleared JAMB of any financial impropriety, attributing the concerns to misunderstandings regarding budget proposals versus actual expenditures,” he said.
Fowowe added that JAMB had also identified inadequate broadband connectivity and limited technical expertise among staff as significant barriers to effective examination administration.
“The board has recommended establishing a national broadband funding scheme and offering career incentives for IT professionals to address these challenges .
“The case of Ejikeme Joy, who falsely claimed a Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) score of 362, highlights the importance of maintaining the integrity of examination results.
“JAMB’s swift action in exposing the fraud has been commended by educational experts, emphasising the need for all institutions to adopt similar measures to uphold credibility,” he said.
He said the call for remedial measures by JAMB was timely and necessary.
“Addressing examination malpractice, enhancing financial transparency, upgrading technological infrastructure, and maintaining institutional integrity are pivotal steps toward strengthening Nigeria’s educational system.
“It is imperative that all stakeholders, including government agencies, educational institutions, and the public, collaborate to support these reforms and ensure a fair and credible examination process.
“There seems no unified grading system in the last JAMB exam. It looks like a political results.
“The brilliants failed this year and that calls for investigation and remedial measures,” he said. (NAN)
