2025 UTME: Tinubus govt gives fresh order to JAMB, WAEC, NECO, reason surfaces

• President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led federal government has issued a fresh directive to JAMB, WAEC, NECO, and NABTEB over exam malpractice
• Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has directed the examination bodies to blacklist CBT centres and candidates found guilty of examination malpractices
• Alausa said schools/CBT centres found guilty of exam malpractice will be derecognised and student(s) involved in examination malpractice should be barred from external exams for three years

FCT, Abuja - The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) West African Examinations Council (WAEC), National Examinations Council (NECO), and the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) have been ordered to blacklist Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres and candidates found guilty of examination malpractices.

Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, said any school or CBT centre found guilty of exam malpractice should be derecognised for some years.

Education minister, Tunji Alausa, says students found guilty of exam malpractice will be barred from external exams for for three years. .. Photo credit: UTME/Nony and Sons.. Source: Facebook

Alausai said the number of years would be determined by the examination body.

As reported by Vanguard, Alausa made this known in a letter, dated May 27, 2025, and sent to JAMB and other examination bodies.

It was gathered that the minister’s directive was a response to the mind-boggling sharp practices that trailed the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

Education minister orders 3-year ban for exam malpractice

“If any school/CBT centre is derecognised by any examination body, other sister examination bodies should follow suit and derecognise the same school/CBT centre for the same number of years to run concurrently. This will send a very strong signal to the operators of these miracle centres.“The student(s) involved in examination malpractice should be barred from sitting for any external examinations in Nigeria, such as those conducted by WAEC, NECO, NABTEB, etc, for three years, using the instrumentality of NIN. Such a stringent measure will serve as a deterrent to other students and parents.”

According to Alausa, the directive is in line with the extant law, especially Section 16(2) of the Examination Malpractices Act.

The minister said the Act states:

“An examination body may, in the exercise of its powers under this section, circulate the name of an offending candidate, supervisor, invigilator, official, school or examination centre to other examination bodies, which may impose similar punishment.”
Education minister Tunji Alausa says blacklisting will serve as a strong signal to the offenders of exam malpractice. .. Photo credit: @olatunji_Godson.. Source: Twitter

JAMB identifies states with highest UTME malpractice

Recall that Anambra and Lagos states recorded the highest number of exam malpractice cases in the just-concluded 2025 UTME, with 14 and 9 suspects arrested, respectively.

JAMB uncovered new cheating tactics, including biometric manipulation, impersonation, and illegal mobile phone use during the exam.

The board is investigating 80 suspects across six states and has vowed to tighten security and prosecute offenders.

UTME 2025: JAMB to drag candidates to court

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that JAMB said it will work with law enforcement agencies to prosecute any candidate or institution found breaching its code of operations.

The board announced this in its latest weekly bulletin, made available to Legit.ng on Monday, May 5, 2025.

JAMB said henceforth, stringent measures, including prosecution, would be taken against erring candidates or institutions once they have been clearly indicted.

.. Source: Legit.ng