UTME: Dismal result reflection of Nigeria’s education system— Stakeholders

Stakeholders in the education sector have attributed the dismal result of the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) as a reflection of Nigeria’s education system.

Ishaq Oloyede, the registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), on Monday, April 29, 2024, announced that out of the 1.8 million candidates who sat for the examination, a total of 1.4 million scored less than 200, representing 76 percent.

Education stakeholders described this as a revelation of the depth of the crisis in the country’s education, which they say underscores the urgent need for decisive national intervention.

Bamidele Okuwoga, a legal practitioner said the 2024 UTME results were reflective of the state of the education system.

“It is not a surprise that such a high percentage of failure was recorded,” he said.

However, he pointed out that available tertiary institutions in Nigeria cannot even accommodate the same number of students who crossed the JAMB threshold.

“The question is beyond the rate of success at the UTME level. We need to interrogate the whole system of admission into different tertiary institutions in the country and how it impacts the lives and future of the children,” he noted.

Yinka Bolarinwa, a public affairs analyst applauds JAMB’s efforts to modernise the UTME but faulted the education quality given to the candidates before the examination.

“The overall quality of education provided in schools, including teaching standards, curriculum relevance, and infrastructure can significantly impact students’ preparedness for standardised examinations like UTME.

“While JAMB has made strides in modernising UTME through CBT and support services, ongoing efforts in curriculum alignment, educational quality enhancement, and technology integration are vital for improving examination outcomes and ensuring fairness and inclusivity in the assessment process,” he said.

Bolarinwa advocated for collaboration among policymakers, educators, parents, and students to address the systemic challenges and foster a conducive learning environment for academic success.

Kazeem Israel, a columnist, commenting on what he titled, ‘Failing grades, failing system: A call for revamp,’ said, “In Nigeria today, wherever you turn, you see parents and stakeholders downplaying education.

“Parents and musicians now tell our younger ones that all the talks about school being the gate pass to a life of comfort are all lies, which now reinforces the mantra “education is a scam.”

He maintained that the UTME failure, as much as it points to the failure of the government to invest in education, brings to the fore the need for parental guidance.

“This mass failure recorded in UTME not only calls for sober reflection but immediate radical action from the federal ministry of education.

“The government must acknowledge the fact that Nigeria’s education policy or even the posture of the government is neither satisfying the yearnings of its teeming youth nor delivering the needs of the labour market,” he noted.

Similarly, Wilson Bukason, commenting on the dismal result of the UTME on his official X handle, @gentilo4141, said, “In Nigeria, education is no longer the key, rather money, and power is the key to success. This is an observation in this modern generation powered by our politicians.

Nneka Okongwu, an educationist, said that children these days are no longer smart and intelligent like their older peers because they are distracted by technology and smartphones.

“Children of these days have short-span attention caused by overconsumption of short-form visual content on TikTok, and so, the rigour that comes with interrogation and paying attention to the final details is no longer there.

“Instagram and TikTok are destroying a whole generation, but we don’t pay attention because we are preoccupied with the difficulties of adulthood and the trauma of being a Nigerian. This is scary!” she noted.

However, Friday Erhabor, director of media and strategies at Marklenez Limited, does not see anything alarming in the 2024 UTME outcome. He believes the performance is not unusual.

“I think JAMB has always proven itself and maintained consistent standards. There is nothing unusual with the performance.

“The bulk of the students usually revolve around 250 to 300. But this time around, there is a slight variation. It could be that more unserious students are enrolling. It could also be a reflection of the quality of teaching,” he said.