The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that candidates under the age of 16 can be considered for admission into tertiary institutions if they demonstrate exceptional academic abilities. To qualify, these young candidates must score at least 80% in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), which translates to a minimum score of 320 out of 400.
This development comes after the current Education Minister, Olatunji Alausa, reinstated the previous benchmark of 16 years as the minimum age for admission. This move was widely supported by stakeholders in the education sector.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, emphasized that while the 16-year age requirement remains the standard, exceptional candidates under 16 may be granted admission under strict conditions.
“This is about complying with the law. Age plays a crucial role in maturity and academic development… while rules exist, there must be room for exceptions,” Oloyede said.
To be considered exceptional, candidates under 16 must demonstrate outstanding academic ability across multiple assessments, including the UTME, WASSCE, Post-UTME, and GCE O/Level. Oloyede noted that scoring 200 out of 400 in the UTME would not be considered exceptional, but achieving 80% (320/400) would warrant consideration.
The JAMB registrar also expressed concerns about private universities admitting underage students, citing that many of these candidates struggle academically and are eventually transferred to other programs due to poor performance. Additionally, Oloyede condemned the manipulation of birth records by parents seeking early admission for their wards ¹.
In related news, JAMB has introduced a mock UTME for underage candidates, which is not for the purpose of tertiary institution admission but rather for these young students to test their abilities. The sale of forms for the mock exam began on January 31 and will end on March 5, with the mock exam scheduled for February 23 and the UTME on March 8.
