A heartbreaking incident has brought renewed attention to the mental health struggles faced by many students in Nigeria, as a young student was rushed to the hospital after suffering a severe anxiety attack upon seeing his 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) result.
The disturbing episode, which has gone viral across multiple social media platforms, underscores the intense academic pressure young Nigerians endure as they pursue admission into tertiary institutions. The pressure to succeed has often gone unnoticed, but this incident has shed light on the emotional and psychological toll it takes on students.
The student's elder sister, known by the TikTok username @big_ellaa7, shared a deeply emotional video clip revealing the moment her younger brother was admitted to a hospital, visibly distraught and overwhelmed after seeing his result. The video shows him lying on a hospital bed, breathing heavily and struggling to remain calm as he copes with the emotional shock.
In the caption of the video, she explained that her brother had been filled with optimism after completing his UTME exam, confidently believing that he had performed well. The eventual outcome, however, was so disheartening that it triggered a serious anxiety attack, leading to his emergency hospitalization.
“My brother after seeing his JAMB score. He had an anxiety attack. He was rushed to the hospital. He studied like his life depended on it,” she wrote, highlighting the level of commitment and hope her brother had invested in the examination.
She went on to express her concern that the results might not reflect the efforts of many hardworking students, raising questions about the fairness and reliability of the examination process. “After he wrote the exam, he came back so full of joy because he felt he answered them correctly. I just hope this failure isn’t done intentionally because it’s messing up these children’s mental health,” she added.
Although she did not disclose the exact score her brother received, she emphasized that it was deeply disappointing—enough to cause him significant emotional and physical harm. “2025 JAMB did him dirty. Get well soon my love. I no fit ask person wey de hospital wetin him score shaa… I just know it’s very bad for him to have that anxiety attack,” she wrote in another part of the video.
This situation has sparked widespread empathy and debate online, with many Nigerians expressing concern over the increasing rate of academic-induced mental health crises among students. It has reignited calls for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to implement reforms, prioritize transparency, and provide psychological support for students coping with high-stakes testing outcomes.
Watch the video below …
@big_ellaa7
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my brother after checking his JAMB score #creatorsearchinsights #xyzabc #Jamb #Jamb2025 #jambmeme #studenttiktok #studenttiktoker #RelatableAF @Mazi Tunde Ednut
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