JAMB plans to introduce life skills, critical thinking into UTME

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is contemplating the inclusion of life skills and critical thinking in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to enhance the evaluation of candidates applying for admission to tertiary institutions. This proposal, announced by JAMB Registrar Prof. Segun Aina during a segment on NTA's Good Morning Nigeria program, aims to assess candidates' abilities beyond their knowledge of academic subjects.

Aina emphasized that the UTME minimum entry score serves to rank candidates against their peers, rather than indicating the depth of their knowledge. The minimum entry score fluctuates based on the overall performance of candidates in a given examination cycle. Aina assured that the reform is being considered in light of the fact that a large cohort of candidates in any given cohort might score above 300, rendering lower scores appear less significant.

The proposal to incorporate life skills and critical thinking into the UTME is part of a wider review of the examination framework, with a committee of education stakeholders and experts tasked with formulating recommendations on how to assess these skills. The committee is also examining whether these competencies should be presented as distinct components or integrated into the existing UTME subjects.

JAMB has also introduced measures to assist candidates in updating their personal information. Candidates who have lost access to their registered phone numbers or email addresses can now modify these details via JAMB's procedures. Furthermore, a National Identification Number (NIN) alignment process has been introduced, enabling candidates to update their details with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and subsequently synchronizing this information with their JAMB profiles.

This change aims to help candidates whose admission plans were impacted by discrepancies in their personal records, allowing them to access university education without hindrance.