The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has introduced a new process to help candidates resolve discrepancies in their personal information while also considering plans to incorporate life skills and critical thinking into the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
JAMB Registrar, Professor Segun Aina, disclosed the developments on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, during an appearance on a Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) programme.
According to the registrar, the proposed examination reforms are part of efforts to improve the assessment of candidates seeking admission into universities and other tertiary institutions across the country.
JAMB Considers Life Skills, Critical Thinking Assessment
Aina explained that the board was exploring ways to assess candidates beyond their knowledge of conventional school subjects by introducing life skills and critical thinking into the UTME.
He disclosed that a committee comprising education stakeholders and relevant experts had been established to examine how the proposed skills could be incorporated into the examination.
The committee is expected to determine whether life skills and critical thinking should be assessed as separate components or integrated into the existing UTME subject structure.
The registrar said the proposed changes were intended to broaden the examination’s scope and provide a more comprehensive assessment of candidates’ abilities.
JAMB Explains How UTME Scores Should Be Interpreted
Aina also clarified that candidates’ UTME scores should not be regarded as absolute measures of their intelligence or overall knowledge.
He explained that the examination is designed to compare candidates’ performances within a particular examination cycle, meaning that the significance of a score depends partly on how other candidates perform.
According to him, the minimum admission score and the competitiveness of candidates’ results are influenced by the overall performance recorded in a given year.
The registrar illustrated this by noting that if a large proportion of candidates scored above 300, a score of 299 could be considered relatively low in comparison with the performance of other candidates.
“It is not how good you are that your JAMB score speaks to. It is more about how you rank against others,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to understand the purpose of the UTME and avoid using examination scores alone to determine a candidate’s intellectual ability or potential for academic success.
Candidates Can Now Resolve Personal Information Discrepancies
In another development, the JAMB registrar announced measures aimed at assisting candidates experiencing difficulties updating their personal information.
He said candidates who had lost access to the telephone numbers or email addresses linked to their registration could now seek changes through the board’s approved procedures.
Aina further announced the introduction of a National Identification Number (NIN) alignment process to help candidates correct inconsistencies in their personal records.
Under the arrangement, candidates are expected to first correct their details with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) before aligning the updated information with their JAMB profiles.
The process is intended to assist candidates whose admission prospects or educational progression have been affected by discrepancies involving their names, dates of birth, and other personal information.
The registrar explained that the board previously maintained restrictions that prevented candidates from changing certain details on their JAMB profiles, leaving some individuals unable to resolve issues affecting their academic advancement.
“Before, you could not change your name or your date of birth on the JAMB profile,” he said.
He added that the restriction had created difficulties for many candidates, including some who had completed their degrees but encountered problems progressing to further university education because their records could not be corrected.
“Thousands of people were stuck. They completed their degrees; they couldn’t go to university because this wasn’t possible. It is now possible,” Aina stated.
He advised candidates seeking clarification on the new procedures and other JAMB services to consult the board’s official website and verified social media platforms for further information.
SNOW TV NEWS EDITORIAL ASSESSMENT
JAMB’s proposed introduction of life skills and critical thinking into the UTME could represent an important step towards improving the quality of student assessment in Nigeria. However, the success of such a reform will depend on how carefully it is designed and implemented.
For years, public discussions about the UTME have focused heavily on candidates’ scores and the competition for limited admission spaces. While examination results remain an important selection tool, they do not necessarily capture every aspect of a student’s reasoning ability, creativity, problem-solving skills, or readiness for higher education.
A broader assessment framework could help address this limitation. Nevertheless, JAMB must ensure that any new testing format is clearly explained, properly validated, and accessible to candidates from different educational and socioeconomic backgrounds. Introducing additional assessment areas without adequate preparation, transparent guidelines, and appropriate learning resources could create further disadvantages for students.
However, JAMB and NIMC should make the correction process straightforward, affordable, secure, and clearly communicated. Candidates need precise information about the required documents, applicable procedures, processing timelines, and any official fees. Effective safeguards must also be maintained to prevent identity fraud and unauthorized alterations to personal records.
The board should therefore ensure that these proposed reforms translate into practical benefits for candidates rather than becoming additional sources of uncertainty in an already competitive admission process.
Sir Bartholomew White Ebe is a Nigerian Media Personality, Music Artist, Producer, Blogger and a Relationship Coach. He is a publisher specializing in Nigerian current affairs, politics, and lifestyle news. As the founder and chief editor of Snow Multimedia Connect {SNOW TV} he leads the editorial team to deliver verified, high-impact stories to digital audiences.”
Email: snowmediaconnect@gmail.com
