JAMB to add life skills, critical thinking to UTME

Proposed Reform The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that it is reviewing the structure of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). The aim is to add components that measure critical thinking and life skills, according to statements made by the board’s registrar, Prof. Segun Aina, on the Good Morning Nigeria programme on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).

Focus on Ranking, Not Absolute Intelligence Aina clarified that the UTME was originally designed to rank candidates relative to one another rather than to gauge their absolute intellectual capacity. He explained that a candidate’s score should be interpreted in the context of the overall performance of the cohort that sat the exam in a given year.

Committee to Draft Recommendations A committee comprising education stakeholders and experts has been set up to produce recommendations on how the new competencies could be assessed. The committee will decide whether life skills and critical thinking should be added as separate sections or woven into the existing subject‑based format of the UTME.

Potential Impact on University Admissions If the proposal is adopted, the UTME would shift from a purely academic test to a broader evaluation of a student’s readiness for higher education. This change would align the examination more closely with the demands of modern universities, which increasingly value problem‑solving and practical skills.

Next Steps JAMB will continue its review of the examination framework, with the committee expected to produce a report outlining the best approach to incorporate the new components. The board has not yet set a timetable for implementation, but the announcement signals a significant potential change in how Nigerian tertiary admissions are assessed.