2025 UTME: Students need mentorship to excel – Jextoban director

The Director of Planning and Strategy at Jextoban Secondary School, Dr. Adedayo Ojo, has attributed the widespread poor performance in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, to a lack of proper mentorship and structured academic guidance for students.

Dr. Ojo said this while reacting to the national decline in UTME scores, noting that with early exposure to mentorship and preparatory support, many students could significantly improve their academic outcomes.

“Students can achieve better results regardless of their current academic level when they are guided and mentored properly,” he said.

He noted that structured coaching, particularly in core subjects, plays a critical role in preparing students for national examinations like the UTME.

Dr. Ojo spoke on the sidelines of the school’s performance review, revealing that despite the general trend of low scores across the country, all of Jextoban’s candidates scored above 200 marks, with a notable percentage scoring 300 and above.

He said the results were driven by strong subject proficiency in Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry, with some students scoring above 90 in those subjects.

While acknowledging the contribution of teachers, Dr. Ojo stressed the importance of tailored mentorship for students regardless of their academic background.

“Our mission is to bridge gaps in the education sector by supporting every student, whether they are struggling or high-performing,” he said.

He also disclosed that 12 alumni from the school’s 2024 graduating class had recently graduated with First-Class degrees from institutions in Nigeria and abroad.