By Capital Watch Media
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has announced that candidates below the age of 16 may be considered for admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions if they achieve an exceptional score of 320 or above in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME.
This decision follows the reversal of the mandatory 18-year admission age requirement introduced by former Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman.
The current Minister, Olatunji Alausa, has reinstated the previous benchmark of 16 years.
Speaking during a recent meeting with stakeholders, including Chief External Examiners and members of the Equal Opportunity Group, JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, clarified that the 16-year age requirement remains in place but with exceptions for academically gifted candidates.
“The Minister of Education has stated that the minimum age for admission is 16. However, we recognise that some children demonstrate exceptional academic ability and should not be overlooked,” Oloyede stated.
He explained that biological age is linked to intellectual development, similar to how leadership positions have age limits.
“While rules exist, there must be room for exceptional cases,” he added.
JAMB emphasised that candidates under 16 must prove their academic excellence across multiple assessments, including the UTME, WASSCE, Post-UTME, and GCE O/Level, before being considered for admission.
“If a candidate under 16 scores 200 out of 400 in the UTME, can they truly be considered exceptional? However, if they achieve 80% (320/400), that signals exceptional ability,” Oloyede noted.
He raised concerns about private universities admitting underage students, stating that many of these candidates struggle academically.
“We have seen cases where up to 80% of underage students are transferred to other programmes due to poor performance,” he said.
The JAMB Registrar also criticised parents who manipulate birth records to secure early admission for their children, only to later alter their ages for National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, eligibility.
In a related development, JAMB has introduced a mock UTME for underage candidates, allowing them to test their abilities before sitting for the main examination.
“This mock exam is not for admission purposes but to help young candidates assess their preparedness,” Oloyede explained.
He also provided details on the 2025 UTME schedule, confirming that registration began on January 31 and will close on March 5.
“A mock exam is scheduled for February 23, while the main UTME will take place on March 8,” he said.
JAMB urged tertiary institutions to strictly adhere to the new policy while ensuring that only genuinely gifted underage candidates are admitted.
Oloyede assured that the board remains committed to upholding fairness and excellence in the admission process across Nigerian universities.
