JAMB to allow exceptional candidates below 16 sit for UTME — Oloyede

JAMB has announced that exceptional candidates under 16 years old can sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), but there's a catch. They must demonstrate outstanding academic ability by scoring at least 320 out of 400 in the UTME, which translates to 80%. 

This decision follows the reversal of the mandatory 18-year admission age benchmark introduced by the former Minister of Education. The current Minister, Olatunji Alausa, has reinstated the previous benchmark of 16 years, which has been widely welcomed by stakeholders in the education sector.

According to JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, exceptional students must also demonstrate outstanding academic ability across multiple assessments, including the UTME, WASSCE, Post-UTME, and GCE O/Level. 

It's worth noting that Oloyede has expressed concerns over the role of private universities in admitting underage students, stating that many of these candidates struggle academically. He also condemned the manipulation of birth records by parents seeking early admission for their wards 

https://punchng.com/jamb-to-allow-exceptional-candidates-below-16-sit-for-utme-oloyede/