The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has introduced a special admission framework for 599 candidates who scored 320 and above in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) but are currently ineligible due to being under the required age of 16.
The decision was announced on Wednesday by JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, during the inauguration of a committee tasked with overseeing the admission process for these exceptional candidates.
Speaking at the meeting held in Bwari, Abuja, Oloyede explained, “Their school certificates will be weighted, which means they must have scored 80 per cent, and for the post-UTME, the institution will submit the scores of the candidates, latest by September 16.”
He added that any candidate scoring below 80 in the post-UTME would be automatically disqualified.
“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.
Oloyede emphasized that the committee would determine the procedures for identifying “specially gifted candidates,” noting that this initiative aims to support outstanding academic talent despite age restrictions.
“These are the 599 underage candidates who scored 320 and above in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. The committee will decide on the dates, what to do and who to pick at the end. They will pick candidates that are exceptionally brilliant to be admitted into tertiary schools, in a bid to encourage them,” he said.
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He also disclosed that the committee’s activities would take place across Lagos, Abuja, and Owerri, with virtual participation from university vice-chancellors, regulatory agencies, education stakeholders, and experts.
Addressing concerns from parents, the JAMB registrar cautioned against rushing children into higher education before they are mentally and emotionally mature.
He warned, “Parents should allow their children to develop naturally. Introducing them too early could be harmful.”
Oloyede also condemned attempts to influence the admission process through bribery, stressing that such actions only promote criminal tendencies among youths.
He assured that the selection process for these underage high scorers would be transparent and based on merit, thanks to the credibility and experience of the committee members.
