Peter Obi says Nigeria’s mass UTME failure shows the result of decades of neglect in the education sector.
PUNCH
Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has called for urgent reforms in Nigeria’s education sector following the mass failure recorded in the 2025 UTME. In a statement shared on Tuesday, Obi described the results as “a reflection of the deep-rooted challenges in our educational system.”
According to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), over 78% of the 1,955,069 candidates scored below 200. Obi highlighted this, saying only about 420,000 scored above the 200 mark, which he blamed on long-standing underinvestment.
“The latest JAMB results once again highlight the consequences of decades of underinvestment in education,” he said.
Obi compared Nigeria’s performance to countries like Bangladesh and Turkey, noting their higher university enrollment figures despite having smaller or comparable populations.
“Education is not just a social service; it is a strategic investment,” he added.
He urged the government to take immediate action: “Invest aggressively in education — at all levels — if we are serious about building a prosperous, secure, and equitable Nigeria.”