CHIKUN/KAJURU REP, HON. FIDELIX BAGUDU, ANNOUNCES NEW APPOINTMENTS TO STRENGTHEN INCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE. (PHOTO).
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) announced on Wednesday that it will conduct a special screening for over 500 exceptional candidates under 16 years old seeking admission into tertiary institutions for the 2025/2026 academic session. The screening, scheduled for September 22-26, will take place in Lagos, Abuja, and Owerri, as decided during a virtual meeting of JAMB’s technical committee.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, revealed that Lagos will host 397 candidates, Owerri 136, and Abuja 66. The screening targets candidates who scored at least 320 in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), achieved 80% in post-UTME, and secured at least 24/30 points in a single WAEC or NECO sitting. Oloyede noted that of the 41,027 underage candidates who took the 2025 UTME, over 40,000 failed to meet initial requirements.
“This is not new globally; we are ensuring only exceptional and prepared candidates are admitted,” Oloyede said, emphasizing the need to balance academic excellence with cognitive maturity.
A subcommittee, led by Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, outlined that candidates will undergo subject-specific tests and brief oral interviews. JAMB will also verify candidates’ WAEC results to confirm eligibility. The initiative aligns with the Ministry of Education’s policy setting 16 as the minimum admission age, prompted by 599 candidates scoring above 300 in the 2025 UTME but falling below this age threshold.
The virtual meeting included representatives from tertiary institutions, government agencies, civil society, the Nigerian Academy of Education, and the principal of Federal Government Gifted Academy, Suleja. Four universities—Air Force Institute of Technology, Kaduna; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi; University of Jos; and Osun State University—have stated they will not admit underage candidates.
JAMB’s policy aims to prevent age falsification, ensure psychological readiness for higher education, and protect young candidates from undue parental pressure, fostering a fair and rigorous admission process.
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