By Olugbenga Oyeniran
I read the recent revelations from the JAMB Special Committee on Examination Infractions with both shock and sadness. Shock, because of the sheer audacity and sophistication of the schemes uncovered. Sadness, because the heart of the problem points not to the students alone but to the very people who should be guiding them: their parents.
According to the committee, 80 per cent of exam malpractice cases are driven by parents. Let that sink in. Mothers and fathers, instead of instilling the values of honesty and hard work, are orchestrating cheating strategies to secure grades their children do not deserve. It is not only an academic scandal; it is a cultural crisis.
The New Face of Malpractice
Gone are the days when malpractice meant copying from a neighbour or sneaking in notes. What we are seeing now is far more advanced—and frightening.
⚠️Over 4,200 cases of fingerprint manipulation.
⚠️Almost 200 cases of AI-assisted impersonation.
⚠️Nearly 2,000 false disability claims, complete with photoshopped images.
⚠️The committee even discovered a medical student who has turned exam impersonation into a side hustle, writing JAMB exams every year for paying clients. This is no longer just “helping a friend.” It is organised crime.
The System Under Siege
JAMB has built one of the most technologically advanced exam systems in the country. And yet,
year after year, there is a determined effort to undermine it. As the committee chairman, Dr. Jake Epelle, put it, “Young people with technology in their hands are manipulating the process.”
Even more painful was learning that some JAMB staff contributed to exam glitches through negligence. In a rare show of accountability, the Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, not only sanctioned those involved but also publicly apologised to Nigerians. That humility alone
deserves recognition in a nation where public officers rarely admit fault.
Where Do We Go From Here?
Yes, the committee has called for stronger systems—AI-powered biometrics, tougher laws, and better self-service platforms. These are necessary. But what strikes me most is that this is not just a technical problem. It is a cultural problem.
When cheating becomes normalised at home, it does not matter how sophisticated the technology is; young people will always find new ways around it. The deeper solution lies in a reawakening of values: honesty, integrity, and discipline.
My Worry, My Hope
As I reflect on these findings, I worry about the kind of future we are shaping. What happens when today’s students, trained on fraud and shortcuts, become tomorrow’s doctors, engineers, and leaders? Will they carry those same habits into their professions, cutting corners with lives, resources, and institutions?
And yet, I still have hope; that parents will see the damage they are doing and stop, that schools will stop turning a blind eye. I hope that, as a society, we will begin to prize truth over quick wins.
Because if we do not, the soul of our education system—and by extension, our nation—remains
in grave danger.
