JAMB Introduces “Exceptionally Brilliant Window” to Allow Candidates Below 16 to Sit for UTME – Oloyede

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that candidates below the age of 16 who demonstrate exceptional academic ability will now be allowed to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). This was disclosed by JAMB’s Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, during an appearance on the Sunday edition of Inside Sources with Laolu Akande on Channels Television.

Introduction of the Exceptionally Brilliant Window

According to Prof. Oloyede, JAMB has maintained a minimum age requirement of 16 years for candidates seeking admission into tertiary institutions. However, he acknowledged that there are rare cases of students who exhibit outstanding academic capabilities at a much younger age. To accommodate such students, JAMB has introduced an “Exceptionally Brilliant Window” that allows these candidates to register for the UTME.

“We are enforcing the 16-year minimum entry requirement into tertiary institutions, but we recognize that some students are exceptionally brilliant. These cases are rare just one in a million, but we have created an avenue for them. If you are below 16 and believe you are exceptional, you can register under this special category,” Oloyede explained.

Concerns Over Manipulation of Age

The JAMB registrar also raised concerns over a growing trend where parents manipulate their children’s ages to get them into tertiary institutions earlier than appropriate. He revealed that within just a few days of opening registration, over 2,000 candidates under the age of 16 had already applied, with some as young as 10, 11, and 12 years old.

Expressing dismay at the situation, Oloyede criticized parents who falsify birth records and use affidavits to increase their children’s ages artificially.

“Normal children cannot grow beyond their biological age. However, parents are now resorting to manipulating their children’s ages just to fast-track their educational progress. Some do this because they want to boast about having a young graduate, saying, ‘My child became a lawyer at 13.’ This is not in the best interest of the child,” he lamented.

Reversal of Admission Age Benchmark

The decision to allow exceptionally brilliant candidates below 16 comes in the wake of the Federal Government’s recent policy changes regarding admission age requirements. In November 2024, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, announced that the admission age benchmark for tertiary institutions had been lowered from 18 years back to 16 years.

“We will not be going forward with the 18-year admission benchmark. We will go with 16 years, and we are engaging with JAMB and other stakeholders on this matter. There will also be exceptions for gifted students, so 18 years is no longer our policy,” Dr. Alausa stated.

This announcement effectively overturned a directive made in July 2024 by the former Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, who had declared a ban on admitting students below 18 into tertiary institutions.

With the introduction of the Exceptionally Brilliant Window, JAMB aims to strike a balance between maintaining academic standards and accommodating students with extraordinary abilities. However, the board remains vigilant against age manipulation, warning parents against pushing their children into higher education prematurely. The initiative seeks to ensure that truly gifted students have a fair chance to pursue their academic aspirations without compromising the integrity of the educational system.

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