By Dansu Peter The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has raised alarm over a sharp increase in underage candidates registerin...
By Dansu Peter
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, stated that while the minimum age for admission remains 16, the board will grant waivers for a select few who can demonstrate exceptional academic ability. Under the new policy, such candidates must score at least 80 per cent in four key examinations—UTME, the West African Examination Council (WAEC), post-UTME, or the General Certificate Examination (GCE) Ordinary Level.
Oloyede disclosed this during a meeting with key stakeholders, including Chief External Examiners, Chief Technical Advisors, civil society groups, and the media, in preparation for this year’s UTME registration. He emphasized that JAMB would strictly enforce the minimum entry age while allowing room for truly gifted candidates.
“This is about complying with the law,” Oloyede stated. “Age plays a crucial role in intellectual and emotional development. However, we recognize that some exceptional students exist, and we will allow them to sit for UTME if they meet the 80 per cent benchmark.”
The registrar expressed concern over the growing trend of underage registration, attributing it to parental pressure and private universities encouraging younger students to enroll. He noted that many such students struggle academically and eventually switch to other programs.
“We used to have only about 300 underage registrants. Now, within just five days, we have nearly 5,000. Parents are using their children’s education as a status symbol,” he lamented.
Meanwhile, JAMB reiterated its commitment to supporting candidates with disabilities by continuing to offer free UTME registration to those who have secured five O’Level credits.
As of yesterday, JAMB had registered over 420,674 candidates for the UTME, with 32,435 registering in a single day. The board aims to register 2 million candidates before the close of the exercise.
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