The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has inaugurated a dedicated committee to scrutinise admissions for underage candidates in a bid to address growing concerns over such candidates into tertiary institutions.
Ishaq Oloyede, the registrar/ chief executive officer at JAMB made this known on Wednesday, August 6, during the inauguration in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, when he emphasised the board’s commitment to upholding age requirements and ensuring compliance with admission guidelines across Nigerian universities and other higher institutions.
Oloyede disclosed that the committee would decide the modalities for determining `specially gifted candidates’.
“These are the 599 underage candidates who scored 320 and above in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
“The committee will decide on the dates, what to do and set up who to pick at the end. They will pick candidates that are exceptionally brilliant to be admitted into tertiary schools in order to encourage them,’’ he said.
The former University of Ilorin vice-chancellor exphasised that the committee meeting had the virtual presence of vice-chancellors of Nigerian universities, regulatory agencies, some critical stakeholders and experts in education.
Furthermore, he said that the committee had resolved that between August and September those who would scale the hurdle from the 599 candidates would be announced.
“Their school certificates will be weighed, which means they must have scored 80 percent, and for the post-UTME, the institution will submit the scores of the candidates, latest by September 16.
“Any candidate who scores below 80 in the post-UTME is already out of it. We know that 16 years is the minimum for admissions but we should be able to pick one or two that are very brilliant to encourage them,” he said.
Besides, Oloyede revealed that the panel would sit in Lagos, Abuja and Owerri; even as he urged parents to desist from desperation to send their children and wards at tender ages into tertiary institutions, saying that children needed time to develop naturally and mature.
The JAMB registrar warned against bribery to gain admission, describing such as an anomaly to introduce the younger generation into the world of crime.
He guaranteed that the process for the admissions would be transparent and fair due to the quality of the committee members.
