The unfairness in the JAMB CBT examination
By Chukwuma Ambrose Ohaka
When the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) was established in 1978, it was borne out of a patriotic need to unify Nigeria’s tertiary admission process under a fair and standardized system. For many years, the paper-based Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) served this purpose despite its shortcomings. But in 2013, the introduction of the Computer-Based Test (CBT) format was heralded as a digital revolution — a move to curb exam malpractices, promote speed and accuracy in result delivery, and align Nigeria with global educational practices.
However, what was supposed to be a technological leap forward has exposed a deeper, more painful reality — systemic inequality disguised as progress.
In theory, the CBT system is efficient, secure, and modern. But in the Nigerian context — where access to computers, electricity, and stable internet remains inconsistent and deeply unequal — this mode of examination has become more of a barrier than a bridge. The truth is stark: JAMB’s CBT format disproportionately favors urban and privileged students who are not only academically sound but also digitally literate. For millions of other candidates, particularly from rural and underserved communities, the CBT exam has become a test of survival — not intellect.
Consider a brilliant but underprivileged student from rural Zamfara, Ebonyi, or even the suburbs of Lagos who has diligently studied, mastered concepts, and practiced endlessly. Yet, on the day of the exam, he or she falters — not due to a lack of knowledge, but simply because of an inability to navigate a computer system: struggling to use a mouse, failing to toggle between questions, or unable to submit the exam altogether due to unfamiliarity. That student is not failing an exam — the system is failing them.
The 2025 UTME results only validate these concerns. According to JAMB’s own report, over 379,000 candidates across 157 centers — primarily in Lagos and the South-East — were affected by technical failures ranging from server crashes to data upload errors. These candidates were rescheduled, but with no psychological compensation for the anxiety, disruption, and discouragement they endured. Many others, not fortunate enough to have been rescheduled, had their hopes crushed with inexplicably low scores.
To make matters worse, more than 78% of candidates scored below 200 out of 400 this year — a shocking statistic that has triggered petitions, protests, and threats of legal action. Advocacy groups and legal firms are now challenging JAMB, accusing it of systemic discrimination, academic sabotage, and psychological abuse. For many families, especially those who sacrificed so much for their children’s education, the 2025 UTME has become a tragic tale of shattered dreams.
Let’s be clear: this is not just a technical problem. This is a national emergency. When a nation’s most important standardized exam excludes and penalizes a significant portion of its youth simply for being poor, then something is fundamentally broken.
We cannot continue to trumpet educational progress while marginalizing those without digital exposure. We cannot build a future when the pipeline to higher learning is riddled with obstacles that favor the privileged and punish the under-resourced.
If JAMB is truly committed to equity, justice, and national representation, then urgent reforms are not optional — they are imperative. These include:
1. Nationwide digital literacy programs, especially targeted at public secondary schools.
2. Government-supported CBT simulation centers, accessible to all candidates at no cost.
3. Alternative assessment formats for candidates who demonstrate learning but lack digital skills — at least during this transitional phase.
4. Independent audits and certification of CBT centers, with strict penalties for recurrent failures or poor infrastructure.
5. Transparent and empathetic grievance redress mechanisms for candidates affected by system failures — not just automatic rescheduling but thorough score reviews and appeals.
The CBT system, while noble in concept, must be inclusive in practice. It must not become a tool of exclusion in a country already grappling with inequality on multiple fronts. JAMB must rise above bureaucratic defense and accept that the system, as it stands, is flawed and in urgent need of overhaul.
Until we act with sincerity and urgency, the CBT examination will remain an irony — a national gatekeeper that locks out the very people it was meant to uplift.
Nigeria deserves better. Our children deserve better.
