JAMB raises bar for under-16 candidates

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has disclosed that exceptionally brilliant under-16 candidates who wish to gain admission into tertiary institutions must score a minimum of 320 in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), alongside other difficult conditions.

Others are scoring not less than 80 per cent in the post-UTME, not less than 80 per cent in the Senior School Certificate Examination, and passing an interview.

JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, who unveiled the measures during a virtual meeting with Vice-Chancellors and heads of admissions on Wednesday in Abuja, said the Board would no longer tolerate the “academic abuse” of pushing psychologically and emotionally unprepared children into the rigours of university life.

Oloyede announced that out of the over 38,000 underage candidates who applied for admission, only 599 scored 320 and above in UTME, justifying the need for tighter measures.

Prof. Oloyede asserted that conditions apply to students who are still under the age of 16 years for admission into Nigerian universities in the 2025/2026 academic session.

The development comes on the heels of a government policy that pegs the official minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions at 16 years, with exceptions for high-performing candidates under 16.

Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, who presented the policy at the 2025 policy meeting of JAMB, said it aims to balance cognitive maturity and academic preparedness, and curb the growing trend of underage candidates in Nigerian universities.

While reaffirming 16 years as the minimum entry age for tertiary education, Oloyede stated that underage candidates would only be considered based on clearly proven grounds of exceptional academic brilliance.

“We are not saying no child under 16 will be admitted, but they must pass through a rigorous screening process that confirms they are truly gifted. This policy is not just about age; it’s about maturity, capacity, and long-term wellbeing,” he said.

He maintained that to qualify for consideration, under-16 candidates must meet three academic criteria, namely: a minimum UTME score of 320 out of 400 (80 per cent), a post-UTME score of at least 80 per cent, and a minimum of 80 per cent in a single sitting of WAEC or NECO, amounting to 24 points out of 30.

Oloyede also outlawed the combination of results from two different examination bodies, such as mixing WAEC and NECO results for such a category of candidates, adding that Science students must include Mathematics in their top subjects, while Arts students must include English.

He urged relevant institutions to assess all under-16 candidates through a dedicated post-UTME, even if the school has suspended such a process for the general admission population.

Meanwhile, JAMB has also inaugurated a 23-member National Committee on Underage Admission, chaired by its Registrar, Oloyede, to conduct the screening of underage candidates in Abuja, Lagos, and Owerri.