The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has inaugurated a special committee to screen underage candidates who scored 320 and above in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), with a view to granting admission to a select few deemed exceptionally gifted.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, disclosed this on Wednesday at the committee’s inaugural meeting in Bwari, Abuja, noting that 599 candidates fall under this category and would undergo further assessments, including a minimum of 80% in both their school certificates and post-UTME exams, to qualify.
Prof. Oloyede explained that Vice Chancellors, regulatory agencies, and education experts were part of the committee, which will sit in Lagos, Abuja, and Owerri, and is expected to announce successful candidates by September 16.
He stressed that the initiative aims to reward brilliance without compromising the 16-year age benchmark for tertiary education.
The Registrar warned against parental desperation and bribery, stating that such practices could derail children’s development and moral foundation.
He assured that the selection process would be transparent and based strictly on merit.