The JAMB question and the need for a duty of care, going forward, By Mide Alabi

Many have called for JAMB to be scrapped, including myself. However, many institutions in Nigeria, though flawed, provide employment. A more realistic goal is reform; a holistic overhaul of JAMB and other institutions, guided by recommendations from independent local and international experts. Given this national embarrassment, I hope those in charge see the need. But knowing how these things usually go, I would not be surprised if it is quietly swept under the carpet.

Dear Mr. Onyia,

On behalf of our setmates, we just wanted to say a big thank you for all the effort you’ve put into standing up for students across the country.

We’ve been following everything, and we truly appreciate how much you’ve done. It means a lot to know someone is fighting for us.

We’re also happy to share that all students who rewrote the exam have received excellent results – a true testament to the impact of your advocacy.

We’re really grateful, and we’re praying that God continues to bless, guide, and strengthen you in all that you do.

Warm regards,
Kamsi Nsolibe
Head Girl, The Lagoon School

This message was received in the aftermath of the recent JAMB resit examination by Mr Alex Onyia, the CEO of Educare and a key figure in the story I am about to share. The letter is thoughtful and reflects well on both Kamsi and her school. It resonated with me and warmed my heart, so I decided to begin this article with her lovely words.

I wish I could say this story is fiction, and that all the events that follow are just products of the imagination. But this is Nigeria, where reality often outstrips fiction.

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Mr Onyia noticed a problem. The scores released as exam results did not match the academic abilities or records of many candidates. Thousands of students who wrote the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), particularly in the South-East and Lagos, were affected. It was highly unusual.

Normally, this might not be such a huge issue. Students sometimes underperform due to nerves, computer glitches, or simply being unprepared for the examination. Those are rational excuses.

But in this case, none of those reasons applied to most affected students.

Before the results were released, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) posted an analysis: Out of 1,955,069 applicants, only 420,415 scored above 50 per cent (200 out of 400). Over 1.5 million candidates scored below half. A 75 per cent failure rate by that measure.

This immediately sparked think pieces. Most raised alarms about the decline in Nigeria’s education, while a few insisted the results could not be genuine.

Dr Tunji Alausa, Nigeria’s education minister, supported JAMB’s stance. He said the poor results reflected the government’s effective anti-malpractice measures to eliminate cheating. I found that explanation odd, especially from someone responsible for the education sector and trusted by the president. But I admit I held little hope, considering that his predecessor, Tahir Mamman, made one questionable decision after the other, until he was eventually replaced.

With Mr Alausa fuelling the narrative, the blame quickly shifted to distractions like social media, phones, video games, and TikTok, rather than examining the examination process itself.

As usual, hysteria and misinformation spread on social media. Rumours ranged from hackers infiltrating the system to conspiracies that JAMB deliberately reduced scores. With no official clarification from JAMB, the confusion only grew.

As students checked their results and saw low scores, the doubts multiplied. Relatives flooded social media complaining that these results did not match their wards’ previous performances, with some showing prior school results as evidence.

I was tasked with checking the result of a younger friend who had scored 245 in a previous exam and hoped to do better. When I checked, his score was 166. I was livid, not because I believed that he scored that low, but because I felt that JAMB’s result insulted our intelligence. He had put in twice as much effort, and the score made no sense.

Scrolling through Twitter, I saw many similar stories. High-performing students from the previous year scored far lower this time. It was statistically improbable that so many capable students would suddenly fail on such a scale.

While browsing, I found a tweet by Mr Alex Onyia with a link to a complaint form for affected students. He kept updating the number of signatures, which soon climbed into the thousands, including mine.

Mr Onyia used his platform to amplify the voices of affected students and guardians to his 40,000 followers and beyond. He pressed JAMB for answers and applied enough pressure to force a review of the exam.

On 14 May, JAMB publicly released the results of their review. The board admitted a “technical glitch” caused by a failed patch on the examination servers as responsible for the incorrect results. They agreed to conduct a fresh exam for the affected regions — Lagos and the South-East.

This was a welcome fix to a problem that should never have happened.

The rescheduled exams were set to start that same Friday. Initially, I thought this was too soon, but other stakeholders seemed to agree it was best to proceed.

Yesterday, I checked my friend’s result again. This time, it brought a smile to my face — 285.

It was done. We had won. He had finally received the score he deserved after months of hard work. I remain proud of him, and I hope he secures admission into his desired course and institution.

This situation is a sad reflection of the inadequacy in many of Nigeria’s systems, especially our education sector. Our schools and students still face many challenges on the road to realising their potential.

What upset me most was not the incident itself, but the culture of neglect and lack of accountability from institutions and key education stakeholders. From Mr Alausa’s rushed excuse, blaming the exam failure on anti-cheating success to JAMB’s social media team posting, “Man Proposes, God Disposes,” while admitting fault; it was clear that those in charge showed little care or respect for our schools, students, or guardians.

I shudder to think of what would have happened if we had remained silent. Over 75 per cent of applicants nationwide (or about 19.4 per cent, if you go by JAMB’s admission) would have been unfairly shortchanged, despite their effort and dedication. This highlights the urgent need for institutional effectiveness, beginning with the leaders of these institutions.

Many have called for JAMB to be scrapped, including myself. However, many institutions in Nigeria, though flawed, provide employment. A more realistic goal is reform; a holistic overhaul of JAMB and other institutions, guided by recommendations from independent local and international experts. Given this national embarrassment, I hope those in charge see the need. But knowing how these things usually go, I would not be surprised if it is quietly swept under the carpet.

This brings me to my second thought: the power of unity and collective voice. I have always advocated for people uniting against oppression. I was glad to see Nigerians come together to demand a review. Though some tried to exploit ethnic tensions to disrupt the movement, those leading kept focused, and the goal was achieved.

When you fight the system, the system fights back. It tries to take as much as it can and bulldoze anything in its path. I often wonder when it will be enough.

I dream of a day when we would all join hands to confront oppressive systems and institutions that feed off the suffering of many.

Finally, I want to highlight the power of determined, empathetic individuals willing to go the extra mile for causes they believe in. Pursuing an ideal when you could live comfortably without the fight is admirable. It requires true altruism and hope beyond oneself. In a low-trust country like ours, where many do not extend themselves for others, it is refreshing to see such examples.

So, I commend everyone involved in advocating for the exam review, especially Mr Alex Onyia; Kamsi Nnamchi, who started a widely signed petition on Change.org; Evans Ufeli Esq., who provided legal support, and all others who contributed. Your voice matters greatly. I applaud everyone who signed, reposted petitions, lent their voice on social media, or spread the word.

Change does not happen without the people, anywhere in the world.

To everyone who wrote the exam this year, I am proud of you. The situation was never supposed to be this way, but you persevered. You made the best of difficult circumstances, and that is incredible, no matter your score. I wish you all the best in your future endeavours.

Mide Alabi, a lawyer, writes from Lagos, and can be reached on 08165741464.