Social Media; a Culprits in The Underperformance of Students in Jamb Exams In Nigeria
Well, well, well, it seems that in the year 2024, social media has been identified as one of the culprits in the underperformance of students in the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) exams in Nigeria. This revelation comes from various sources, including tweets and X posts, which shed light on the issue.
According to a tweet by @egi_nupe___ on April 30, 2024, social media tops the list of reasons for the JAMB mass failure. Students are more focused on becoming content creators on various platforms, neglecting their education or dedicating little time to studying. This sentiment is echoed by @Mn_Nabo, who points out that the demanding schedule of creating viral content on platforms like TikTok is almost impossible to combine with a proper study schedule.
The situation is further exacerbated by the fact that the JAMB performance has been disappointing, with 1.8 million candidates writing the exam and 1.4 million of them scoring below 200. This has led to discussions on the impact of social media and apps like TikTok on children’s education and mental health. Some even call for government intervention to address the issue.
Interestingly, this phenomenon isn’t unique to Nigeria. Studies and discussions around the world have highlighted the negative impact of social media on students’ academic performance. For instance, a study in the United States found that 14.59% of students faced difficulties in retrieving course materials from websites, and 35.90% agreed that social media sites had a positive influence on their academic performance. However, 55.42% of students utilized social media sites to solve academic-related problems, suggesting a mixed impact on academic performance.
In summary, it seems that in 2024, social media has become a significant factor contributing to the underperformance of students in the JAMB exams in Nigeria. As the world becomes more connected and digital, finding a balance between social media engagement and academic pursuits remains a challenge for students.
