Mental health experts call for support after UTME student’s suicide

Following the death of a 19-year-old student who reportedly took her life after receiving her UTME results, mental health professionals are urging a comprehensive approach to support students facing examination pressure

[dropcap]F[/dropcap]ollowing the death of a 19-year-old girl in Lagos who reportedly took her life after receiving her Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination results on Monday, mental health professionals are calling for a more comprehensive approach to supporting students under examination pressure.

Also read: Missing JAMB candidate Esther Oladele found safe in Ijebu Ode after wrong bus journey

Identified by neighbours as Timilehin, the late teenager was described as quiet, humble, and full of potential.

Timilehin, who was reported to have hailed from Abeokuta, Ogun State, was living with her elder sibling in Odogunyan, Ikorodu, Lagos State, when she took her life after she was said to have scored 190 in the just-released 2025 UTME results, which she believed was lower than her previous score from last year.

Many community members expressed grief and blamed the examination body for the incident, while mental health experts urged for a collective response to students’ wellbeing.

On Tuesday, Michael Jacob, a psychotherapist and founder of Emotion Compass Academy, emphasised that a student’s academic performance should never be equated with their self-worth.

“To every student struggling right now under the weight of disappointment, please understand: your value is not defined by a number on a result slip.

The UTME is only one doorway out of many. If that door closes, another will open—but you must still be here to walk through it,” Jacob said.

He stressed the importance of separating academic failure from personal identity, warning the student “not to confuse” their performance with their intelligence.

Jacob noted, “Failing a test does not mean you are a failure. It means you are human. It means you tried. And it means you are still learning. What you need in that moment is not punishment or self-hate but compassion and a plan.”

He further advised young people to reach out for help rather than suffer in silence.

“When emotional pain becomes unbearable, the most important thing is not to suffer in silence. Speak to someone you trust—a counsellor, a therapist, a parent, or a teacher.

Talking is not weakness. Asking for help is not failure. In fact, it is one of the strongest, bravest things you can do,” he said.

A mental health psychologist, Patricia Udosen, also underscored the intense pressure students face during exams and how devastating unmet expectations could be.

“The pressure to succeed can be overwhelming, and the disappointment of not meeting expectations can be crushing.

However, it’s essential to remember that failure is not the end of the road. With the right mindset and support, students can emerge stronger and more resilient,” Udosen said.

She encouraged students to process their emotions constructively and seek support when needed.

She said, “It’s normal to feel disappointed, frustrated, or sad after experiencing failure. Talking to trusted friends, family, or a counsellor can provide valuable support and guidance.”

To every student struggling right now under the weight of disappointment, please understand: your value is not defined by a number on a result slip.

Addressing parents, Udosen called for empathy and reassurance, urging them to offer emotional support to their children.

She admonished, “Listen to your child without judgement and validate their emotions. Focus on their effort and determination, not just results.

Support their emotional well-being and remind them that failure is not the end but a stepping stone to success.”

Similarly, a clinical psychologist, Hammed Lateefat, also highlighted the need to normalise failure as part of life.

She said, “They should know that we fail in life, and they should not allow that to affect their mental health,” she said. “Instead of dwelling on the failure, they should look into their lapses and never give up.”

Following widespread backlash from parents and students, JAMB announced on Monday that it was reviewing the recently released 2025 UTME results.

Also read: JAMB addresses unusual complaints over 2025 UTME results

In a statement issued by its spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, the board said it was expediting its annual system review, a comprehensive post-mortem of the examination process, in response to the “significant volume of unusual complaints” received after the results were released on Friday.