JAMB Panel Proposes Tough Penalties For Exam Cheats And Collaborators

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board’s (JAMB) Special Committee on Examination Infractions has called for sweeping reforms to curb malpractice in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

The panel recommended a three-year ban for offenders, cancellation of fraudulent results, and prosecution of both candidates and collaborators.

The committee, inaugurated on August 18, 2025, was tasked with investigating technology-driven fraud during the UTME. Submitting its report to JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, on September 8, Chairman Dr. Jake Epelle said the recommendations aim to restore trust in Nigeria’s examination and admission system.

The report urged the Federal Ministry of Education to strengthen its Central Sanctions Registry and make it accessible to institutions and employers, ensuring offenders face lasting consequences. It also proposed a multi-layered approach based on detection, deterrence, and prevention.

Among the key measures suggested were AI-powered biometric anomaly detection, dual verification systems, real-time monitoring, and the creation of a National Examination Security Operations Centre. The panel further pushed for legal reforms, including amendments to the JAMB Act and Examination Malpractice Act, to cover biometric and digital fraud. A stronger Legal Unit within JAMB was also advised.

The committee recommended a nationwide Integrity First campaign, ethics education in schools, and enforcement of parental accountability. For offenders under 18, it suggested rehabilitative steps such as counselling, supervised re-registration, and digitised correction programmes, in line with the Child Rights Act. It also advised banning bulk school-led registrations to close loopholes.

During its investigation, the committee uncovered a vast and organised network of high-tech fraud. It recorded over 4,000 cases of “finger blending,” nearly 200 instances of AI-assisted image morphing, more than 1,800 false declarations of albinism, alongside credential forgery, multiple NIN registrations, and solicitation schemes.

The report stressed that malpractice goes beyond candidates and is often sustained by syndicates involving CBT centres, schools, parents, tutorial operators, and technical accomplices. It warned that public trust in the system is being eroded as malpractice becomes normalised and accepted as a shortcut to success.

The committee concluded that without bold reforms, technology-driven innovation, and strict enforcement, Nigeria’s education system risks further decay. But with decisive action, it said merit and fairness can once again guide admissions and strengthen the nation’s human capital development.