Abuja: The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has inaugurated a committee of education stakeholders and experts to develop a framework to introduce life skills and critical thinking into the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). The JAMB Registrar, Prof. Segun Aina, launched the committee in Abuja, emphasizing the need to make the UTME more relevant to the evolving demands of tertiary education.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Aina explained that the UTME serves as a ranking examination for candidates who have already obtained their O’Level qualifications. He stressed that the exam should not replicate assessments already conducted by WAEC and NECO, as candidates have already been evaluated on subject knowledge at the O’Level stage. Aina stated that JAMB aims to assess skills that candidates can apply in real-life situations and evaluate whether the current UTME format effectively identifies those likely to perform well in tertiary institutions.
Aina pointed out that the UTME had remained largely unchanged for over three decades, highlighting the necessity of reviewing the examination system to keep pace with developments in education. He noted that JAMB could not determine the best approach to reform independently, hence the involvement of stakeholders from various parts of the education sector.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, represented by his Technical Assistant Mr. Oni Adedeji, endorsed the initiative, aligning it with the Federal Government’s efforts to reform assessment in the education sector. Alausa urged the committee to develop a standard, fair, and transparent assessment system that measures candidates’ analytical, logical, and verbal reasoning abilities beyond their ability to recall subject content.
Prof. Boniface Nworgu, Chairman of the committee and a representative of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, emphasized the importance of the UTME in identifying candidates with the potential to succeed in tertiary education. He noted that the validity of UTME needs regular review due to changing curricula and skills required by tertiary institutions.
Nworgu assured that the committee would remain open to considering additional measures to improve the UTME’s ability to identify candidates likely to succeed at the tertiary level. He stressed the importance of evidence in determining whether any changes introduced into the UTME are achieving their intended objectives.
The committee, comprising representatives from universities, examination bodies, professional regulatory councils, student groups, secondary schools, and development organizations, is tasked with delivering its recommendations within the agreed period.