UTME: Education minister praises JAMB’s test integrity, directs NECO, WAEC to adopt CBT
Maruf Alausa, the minister of education, has commended the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for the conduct of the ongoing unified tertiary matriculation examination (UTME).
Speaking during an inspection of some JAMB centres in Abuja on Monday, Alausa praised the high level of coordination, transparency, and integrity demonstrated by the board in the conduct of the UTME.
He described the examination process as meeting international standards and being almost foolproof against malpractice.
The minister reiterated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to human capital development, highlighting critical areas such as education, health, and social protection.
He noted that under the current administration, the rule of law is respected, allowing institutions like JAMB to operate independently and efficiently.
Alausa also warned candidates against engaging in cheating, urging them to rely on hard work to achieve success.
Also, the minister directed that by November 2025, both the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) should commence conducting their objective tests via computer-based Tmtesting (CBT).
He added that by May/June 2026, both the objective and essay components of WAEC and NECO examinations are expected to be fully transitioned to CBT, in a bid to further curb examination malpractice.
Addressing the need for expansion, Alausa pointed out that if JAMB could successfully conduct CBT exams for over 2.2 million candidates nationwide, WAEC and NECO, which handle slightly fewer numbers, should also be able to replicate the same feat without difficulty.
He hinted that a committee headed by a professor has been set up to review and recommend strategies to maintain and improve examination quality across all levels.
Ishaq Oloyede, the registrar of JAMB, gave a detailed account of the technical and operational framework behind the seamless administration of the UTME.
Oloyede revealed that JAMB processed applications from over 2,040,538 candidates seeking admission into 1,452 tertiary institutions, supported by over 2,000 staff members and thousands of ad-hoc personnel managing CBT centres across the federation.
He highlighted that JAMB’s robust and secure processes have set a new benchmark for examinations in Nigeria and affirmed the board’s commitment to sustaining and improving these standards.
