The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has inaugurated a committee to review the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and explore the integration of life skills and critical thinking into the assessment….
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has inaugurated a committee to review the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and explore the integration of life skills and critical thinking into the assessment.
The JAMB Registrar, Prof. Segun Aina, disclosed this in Abuja during the inauguration of the committee, saying the proposed reforms are aimed at making UTME more relevant to the changing demands of tertiary education.
Aina explained that UTME is primarily a selection and ranking examination for candidates who have already obtained their O-Level qualifications.
He said, “UTME is a selection and ranking examination for candidates who have already obtained O-Level qualifications.”
According to him, the examination should avoid duplicating the subject-based assessments conducted by bodies such as the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO).
Aina said the review would examine “whether the current UTME format remains effective in predicting candidates’ ability to succeed at universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.”
He noted that the examination format had remained largely unchanged for more than three decades, making it necessary to reassess its relevance.
The Registrar said JAMB had brought together stakeholders from different areas of the education sector to ensure that the proposed reforms reflect the views and concerns of those who would be affected by any changes.
The committee has been given an initial four-week period to examine the proposal, with additional time to be considered if necessary.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, represented at the event by the Technical Assistant to the Acting Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Oni Adedeji, said the initiative aligns with ongoing Federal Government efforts to strengthen assessment across the education sector.
Alausa charged the committee to develop assessment methods that are “standardised, fair and transparent”, capable of measuring candidates’ analytical, logical and verbal reasoning abilities alongside their knowledge of subject content.
He said the committee would also determine whether life skills and critical thinking should be assessed through a separate standardised examination or incorporated into existing UTME subjects.
The minister said the objective is to develop “an assessment system capable of measuring not only what candidates know, but also their ability to think, reason and solve problems.”
The Chairman of the committee, Prof Boniface Nworgu of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, said the effectiveness of UTME should be assessed by its ability to identify candidates with strong prospects of succeeding in tertiary education.
Nworgu explained that “JAMB conducts a selection examination rather than a certificate examination,” making the predictive validity of UTME a key consideration.
He noted that changes in tertiary education curricula, including the transition from the Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) to the Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS), have placed greater emphasis on skills and critical thinking.
Nworgu said the committee would remain open to other measures that could improve the predictive validity of UTME if they emerge during its deliberations.
He also stressed the importance of evidence-based reforms, saying “any modification to the examination must ultimately demonstrate measurable benefits to the education system and society.”
The committee comprises representatives from universities, examination bodies, professional regulatory councils, secondary schools, students’ organisations and development institutions.
It is expected to submit its initial recommendations within four weeks, after which JAMB may engage assessment experts to develop and implement the details of any framework adopted.
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