By TONY OKAFOR, AWKA
A prominent law professor, Ilochi Okafor (SAN), has raised concerns over the 2025 Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results, particularly in Anambra State and other parts of the South-East.
Prof. Okafor, former Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University and Chairman of the School Management Board of Dennis Memorial Grammar School (DMGS) Onitsha, expressed his worries in a statement, citing the unusually low scores of students from the region.
Thousands of students, despite being academically sound and well-prepared, received scores below 200, with many scoring between 130 and 180, Okafor noted
He questioned whether the JAMB algorithm had worked against these states, suggesting it might have malfunctioned or gone too far in moderating scores, penalizing innocent and hardworking candidates.
This blanket penalty, he emphasized, is unfair and unjust, particularly in academically excellent states like Anambra.
Prof. Okafor proposed an urgent reform: instant score display at the end of the exam, believing it will promote transparency, reduce suspicion, and ensure fairness.
The concern has sparked confusion, frustration, and suspicion among parents and students, putting the academic future of honest students at stake.
Alex Onyia, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Educare, a software solution for schools, has also begun compiling the list of affected candidates in preparation for a lawsuit against the examination board.
But JAMB spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, maintained that the candidates’ results reflected their performance.
“Examination is the only test of ability. Most ‘brilliant’ candidates fail exams at times because of overconfidence.”
“For us and the system we run, this is a reflection of their performance,” he said in a response.
