THE Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, has announced that the board has introduced an ‘Exceptionally Brilliant Window’, allowing candidates under 16 to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Speaking in an interview, a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin emphasised that while the minimum entry age for tertiary institutions remains 16, an exception has been made for truly outstanding students.
“In Nigeria, we have many brilliant students. While the minimum age remains 16, those who are exceptionally gifted and under 16 can register under the exceptional candidacy category,” he stated.
Oloyede revealed that within a few days of opening registration, over 2,000 candidates—including children as young as 10, 11, and 12—had applied.
He, however, cautioned against parents manipulating birth records to accelerate their children’s academic progress.
“Normal children cannot surpass their biological age. Some parents are falsifying their children’s ages and using affidavits just to showcase early achievements,” he added.