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In 2016, more than average of the candidates scored below the pass mark outlined by the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. 64.24% failed to score 200 out of 400. Similarly, the report in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 till date has shown the steady but rapid decline in academic performance of students in Nigeria. Statistics reveal that 73% in 2017, 74.1% in 2018, 77% in 2019, 79.2% in 2020, 87.2% in 2021, 77.8% in 2022, 76.7% in 2023, and 76.1% in 2024. Yet again, the 2025 JAMB result has recorded this trend of academic declination. 78.5% scored below 200.

For a decade, the rapid failure of students has been on a ride of consistency. Mr. Ishaq Oloyede, the JAMB registrar, in response to the cause of JAMB failure said that “the results are consistent over the years.”https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/793502-2025-utme-jamb-speaks-as-candidates-other-nigerians-protest-low-scores.html. This statement is no ordinary rhetoric but a reality of the consistent poor performance of students. The 2025 result marks the third highest failure after the 2020 and 2021 results recorded 79.2% and 87.2% respectively. If we fail to notice the previous statistics, the recent one should call our attention to the wreckage these results may cause in the educational system. If students can no longer pass the threshold score of the examination board, what then is the education being taught? What set of graduates are secondary schools producing?

The Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) has long been a prerequisite for admission into any tertiary institution in Nigeria. Yearly, the board records over 1.4 million candidates who seek to pursue their academics beyond SSCE. While this is commendable, it is, however, disheartening that there has been a recurring decline in the candidates’ performance.

Whose Fault?Parents, Students, Teachers, Government or JAMB Board.

Students

Students writing this exam belong to the GEN Z generation. They are caught between the web of facing their academics and presence on social media platforms. Most find solace in the profession that “school is a scam” and are interested in succeeding without education. They spend a great fraction of their day online following trending issues rather than getting mastery of their subjects. Since the writer of the exam is not interested, failure is inevitable.

Teachers, Parents, and School Management

As custodian of the students, these people have also contributed to the students’ poor performance. Most parents are not interested in guiding their wards into achieving excellence. They believe in outsourcing which will only require a token from their allowance and if the child fails, they tend to totally blame their wards and the outsource personnel rather than themselves.

For most teachers, an adage that best describes them goes thus “you can’t give what you don’t have”. Most teachers are incompetent, outdated, demotivated, and unexpressive who only remain in the educational system for survival. Some detach themselves from the not-so-good students, focusing on the brilliant ones, an attitude that discourages the young minds from learning. All these in no little way contribute to the recurring decline in performance.

It is also surprising that the school management is one of the initiators of the failure through different shades of malpractices. In order to display their school at the frontier of excellence, they engage in vices that only result in the deformation of the students’ reasoning and approach to learning.

Government

According to UNESCO, an international agency that focuses on education, science and culture. It recommends 26% of a country’s total budget to the education sector to address the inadequacies in the sector and boost access to quality education in the country. It is disappointing that the budget allocated to education by the government has also been following the ride of consistent decline yearly. Most schools, especially the public ones, are underdeveloped. They have dilapidated buildings, abandoned laboratories, that do not enhance the adequate learning of the students.

JAMB Board

Since the release of the 2025 UTME result, many candidates and parents have threatened to file a lawsuit for alleged irregularities. Most complained about incomplete questions, glitches in the network, past record of the candidates’ excellence did not tally with the result among other factors. The inadequacies recorded in this process have caused a candidate to commit suicide while some lose hope in their abilities to continue in their academic pursuit having put much effort in their preparation.There will surely be reasons for students’ failure but if the leaders of tomorrow are already falling short of the present standard of their country, one will wonder if they will be intellectually fit to meet international standards in the coming days.

Way Out

Students should be guided to know that “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Pursuing academic excellence enhance personal growth that are essential for a successful life. The result of good performance helps secure opportunities within and outside the country. Rather than wasting time on irrelevant matters on social media, such energy should be channeled to acquiring knowledge that will enhance academic success.

Parents and Guidances should show up for their ward(s) beyond just paying their fees. Supportive and encouraging parenting is the bedrock for every child’s healthy development. They should avoid total condemnation of a child for bad academic performance as an act of discipline but rather provide positive reinforcement that can help boost confidence to perform better some other time. In like manner, a good relationship with the teachers will help them to stay informed about their ward(s)’ progress. They should also prioritise the right additional support of tutoring in place of ‘expo’, ‘exam runs’ or ‘impersonation’.

Sun et al., 2007, advocates teachers’ involvement in enhancing students’ academic achievement as it improves students’ learning by establishing a conducive learning environment through provision of equal educational opportunities for all students, regardless of their background. Teachers should enrol for courses to develop themselves. These will help them set high expectations for their students using structured teaching systems that can help maintain the curriculum quality.

The school management also has a great contribution to the students’ excellent academic performance. The idea should not be presenting the school as the best, hypocritically through different vices rather encouraging the right attitude towards learning. The management should also introduce periodic training for teachers to help enable them to be effective in their relationship with the students.

The government also has a pivotal role to play. They should see to the implementation of good education across states. The right allocated budget should be disbursed to provide the necessary amenities that can help boost students’ interest in studying, especially in public schools. In the same vein, the government should set up measures to check on the activities of the school management.

The JAMB Board should improve on their system to avoid irregularities that have spurred dissatisfaction from parents and candidates. Appropriate measures should be enhance to prevent questioning their validity of result in subsequent process. If all contributors mentioned above can be diligent and work on their part, sooner or later the consistent trend of poor performance will become history.