JAMB Unveils Reforms to Modernise UTME, Improve Candidate Services

 The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has outlined a series of reforms aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s admission and assessment system, improving candidate services and aligning its operations with emerging international standards.

 The reforms were highlighted in the latest edition of the JAMB Bulletin following the Board’s participation in the 51st Annual Conference of the International Association for Educational Assessment (IAEA), held in Toronto, Canada, from September 27 to October 2, 2026.

 The conference, hosted by the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) in partnership with the IAEA and Vretta Inc., brought together more than 40 assessment agencies from around the world to examine the theme, “Trust, Transparency and Technology in Educational Assessment.”

 Discussions focused on emerging issues in educational assessment, including artificial intelligence, academic integrity, digital testing and the changing competencies required of learners.

 A major reform being considered by JAMB is the introduction of critical thinking and life skills into the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) from 2027. The Board said the proposed changes are intended to broaden assessment beyond candidates’ knowledge of school subjects and place greater emphasis on competencies needed to succeed in a rapidly changing environment.

 JAMB had earlier established a committee to examine how critical thinking, analytical, logical and verbal reasoning, as well as life skills, could be incorporated into the UTME. The review is also expected to consider the examination’s predictive validity, fairness and transparency.

 The Board is also seeking to expand access to the UTME for Nigerians living abroad. It plans to establish an examination centre in Ottawa, Canada, from 2027, which would serve candidates in Canada and other parts of North America. JAMB currently conducts the UTME in several countries outside Nigeria, including the United Kingdom, South Africa, Ghana, Saudi Arabia and Côte d’Ivoire.

 On candidate services, JAMB said it is developing J-Care, a customer-support platform designed to provide faster responses to complaints, enquiries and record-recovery requests. The Board is also strengthening its support portal, through which candidates can create and track tickets relating to registration, admission and profile issues.

 The reforms form part of a broader strategy under JAMB Registrar, Prof. Segun Aina, built around five pillars: Integrity, Service, Governance, Technology and Partnership. Supporting these priorities are initiatives covering technology review, ISO certification, a unified mobile application, strategic communication, unified customer service and a paperless JAMB system.

 JAMB said its participation in the IAEA conference and its wider reform programme reflect its commitment to improving assessment standards, strengthening institutional capacity and delivering a more responsive and technology-driven admission system.