JAMB’s Glitches and the Death of Dreams – A Wake-Up Call for Nigeria’s Education System

In a nation where education is often heralded as the path out of poverty, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is supposed to be a gateway to opportunity.

Sadly, in recent times, it has become a symbol of despair, frustration, and broken dreams for many Nigerian students.

The recent technical glitches that plagued the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) have not only sparked widespread outrage but, according to reports by Asiwaju Media, may have contributed to the tragic suicide of a young student who saw his future collapse with the click of a button.

This is more than a system failure—it is a national disgrace.

For countless students who sat for the UTME this year, their dreams were crushed not by academic inadequacy, but by malfunctioning computers, flawed software, and an opaque results-verification system. Social media platforms have been flooded with testimonials from candidates who studied tirelessly, only to be handed results that do not reflect their true efforts.

Some reported experiencing screen freezes, incomplete question loads, and sudden logouts during the exams. In many cases, there was no provision to retake the test or even to properly lodge complaints. And yet, these flawed scores now stand as the gatekeepers to their future.

The story reported by Asiwaju Media about a student who allegedly took his life after receiving an uncharacteristically low UTME score is a chilling reminder that we are not just talking about numbers—we are talking about lives. Dreams die quietly in classrooms where hope has been replaced by anxiety, and ambition by fear. When students begin to see the educational system as a game of chance rather than a merit-based ladder, we rob them of their will to aspire.

JAMB’s response to these glitches has been defensive at best and dismissive at worst. While they have acknowledged that “some centers had technical issues,” there has been no sweeping accountability, no third-party audit, and no psychological support offered to affected candidates. Instead, students are left to grapple with self-doubt, parental disappointment, and the looming uncertainty of a wasted academic year.

What kind of system punishes the diligent and rewards the functional failures of its own infrastructure? What message are we sending to a generation that already bears the burden of insecurity, unemployment, and a crumbling economy?

It is time for a complete overhaul of how standardized testing is conducted in Nigeria. JAMB must take full responsibility and implement radical reforms:

1. An Independent Review Panel must be set up to audit the 2025 UTME process, with findings made public.
2. Immediate Resit Options should be provided for students who experienced documented technical issues.
3. Psychological Support Systems must be integrated into the academic framework to support students’ mental health.
4. Transparent Grading Mechanisms should be adopted, with access to scripts and result reviews.
5. Accountability for Tech Contractors who failed to deliver reliable infrastructure must be enforced.

The loss of one student to suicide is a tragedy too many. If we do not act now, the next victim may be another bright, hardworking youth who simply wanted a chance.

The purpose of education is to inspire and uplift—not to destroy. JAMB must not only fix its broken systems but also help restore the zeal for learning it has so carelessly extinguished.

Our children deserve better. Nigeria deserves better. Let this editorial serve as a demand, not just for answers—but for justice.