Outrage as JAMB Lowers Cut-Off Marks for 2025/2026 Admissions

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has come under intense criticism following its announcement that the minimum admissible scores for the 2025/2026 academic session will be 150 for universities, and as low as 100 for polytechnics and colleges of education. The cut-off for colleges of nursing sciences has been set at 140.

The decision, reached by heads of tertiary institutions and education stakeholders during a policy meeting with JAMB, has sparked widespread concern among education professionals, students, parents, and the Nigerian public.

Critics argue that the new cut-off marks significantly weaken academic standards, encourage mediocrity, and tarnish the global perception of Nigeria’s educational system.

This is not just a policy misstep; it’s a systemic sabotage,” said, a university lecturer and education analyst. “By telling students that 100 out of 400 is enough to secure admission into tertiary institutions, we are rewarding underachievement and punishing excellence.”

Many Nigerians see the move as a green light for academic laziness, especially among students already grappling with underfunded schools, a lack of learning resources, and a poor reading culture.

Social media has been flooded with reactions, with one X (formerly Twitter) user writing sarcastically:

"Why stop at 100? Why not make it 50maybe 22 for the North while we’re at it?"

This reflects growing sentiment that the uniformity and fairness of national education benchmarks are being undermined, and that the system may now favor political expediency over academic integrity.

Beyond domestic implications, many education observers are warning that such low entry requirements could affect the international credibility of Nigerian graduates.

"We’re sending a message to the world that our tertiary institutions are open to just anyone, regardless of merit “This will make it even harder for Nigerian degrees to be respected abroad.”

Already, Nigerian students in some foreign countries face additional scrutiny or pre-admission tests due to the perceived inconsistency of the country’s educational standards.

Some stakeholders have taken their criticism a step further by questioning the leadership of the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede. Critics argue that the drastic lowering of cut-off marks amounts to an admission of failure on the part of the examining body.

"If JAMB cannot uphold the basic standards of tertiary admission, maybe it’s time for new leadership,” said an anonymous university vice-chancellor.

The announcement has triggered calls from education unions, student bodies, and civil society groups for the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Universities Commission (NUC) to urgently meet with the JAMB directorate to reassess the policy.

While some argue that lower cut-offs offer a chance for less privileged students to access higher education, others insist that access without quality is a dangerous trade-off.

The debate has also revived conversations about the root causes of poor academic performance including poverty, poor infrastructure, unmotivated teachers, and systemic neglect of public education.

Instead of lowering the bar, we should raise the standard of our schools and give students a fighting chance to earn their place on merit.

As the new admission cycle approaches, many are now watching to see if JAMB and the government will stand by this decision or if growing public pressure will force a policy reversal.