The Congress of University Academics (CONUA) has expressed concern over the recently released results of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), describing it as a reflection of the worsening state of Nigeria’s education system.
Dr. Niyi Sunmonu, President of CONUA, said this in a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja.
He said the results revealed by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) pointed to a “deep-rooted crisis” in the education sector.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that out of over 1.96 million candidates who sat for the examination, only 0.79 per cent (12,414 candidates) scored 300 and above.
According to JAMB, about 21 per cent (334,560 candidates) scored between 200 and 249, while 74 per cent scored below 200. More than 26 per cent failed to score up to 140.
Sunmonu attributed the poor performance to challenges in curriculum delivery, quality of teaching, infrastructure, and students’ limited exposure to computer-based testing.
“The limited number of high performers and the overwhelming concentration of candidates in the lower score brackets indicate widespread systemic failures,” he said.
He said the implication was that universities might struggle to maintain academic standards with fewer qualified entrants.
“Students from underserved regions, already at a disadvantage, face even steeper barriers to accessing tertiary education,” he added.
Sunmonu warned that the poor results could further deplete Nigeria’s human capital base.
He, therefore, called on stakeholders, including the Federal Ministry of Education, state governments, and regulatory agencies, to urgently revamp the curriculum to reflect 21st-century competencies.
He also stressed the need for investment in teacher training, improved infrastructure, and access to learning resources across all regions.
The CONUA president advocated for the strengthening of remedial education programmes like pre-degree and JUPEB to assist underprepared but capable students.
He also called for increased autonomy in university admissions to allow institutions to design flexible interventions for students with potential.
“While this year’s UTME results are worrying, they also serve as an opportunity to realign our priorities and reinforce our collective commitment to rebuilding Nigeria’s education system from the foundation,” Sunmonu said.
