JAMB Sets Up Panel to Screen Under-Aged High Scorers for Tertiary Admission

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has inaugurated a special committee to evaluate the admission eligibility of under-aged candidates who excelled in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

Speaking at the committee’s inaugural meeting in Bwari, Federal Capital Territory, JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, said the panel will oversee the selection process for 599 under-aged candidates who scored 320 and above in this year’s UTME.

The committee will determine the criteria for identifying “specially gifted” students who may be considered for admission into tertiary institutions despite not meeting the minimum age requirement of 16.

“These are exceptional candidates, and the committee will develop clear modalities for their evaluation. The goal is to identify a few who show truly outstanding intellectual capacity and provide them the opportunity to further their education,” Oloyede said.

The committee comprises Vice Chancellors of Nigerian universities, representatives of regulatory agencies, education experts, and other key stakeholders, with some members participating virtually.

Oloyede stated that final decisions will be made between now and September. Candidates will be assessed based on their school certificate results and post-UTME scores. Only those with a minimum of 80% in both will be considered.

“Any candidate who scores below 80 in the post-UTME will automatically be disqualified. We are not flouting the 16-year minimum age rule, but we are willing to make rare exceptions for the exceptionally gifted,” he added.

The screening sessions are expected to hold in Lagos, Abuja, and Owerri.

Oloyede also cautioned parents against pushing their children into higher education too early, noting the importance of emotional and psychological maturity. He warned against attempts to use bribery to influence the process, describing it as harmful to the development of the younger generation.

He assured the public that the screening and selection process would be fair, rigorous, and transparent, thanks to the calibre of professionals on the panel.

(NAN)