The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, has revealed that “exceptional” students below the age of 16 can now register for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) through a newly introduced Exceptionally Brilliant Candidacy window. This decision follows the enforcement of a minimum age requirement of 16 for admission into tertiary institutions.
Prof. Oloyede explained the rationale for this move during an appearance on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, aired on Channels Television. According to him, while the minimum age policy remains in place, the board acknowledges that there are rare cases of exceptionally gifted students who deserve an opportunity to sit for the UTME.
“In Nigeria, we have so many brilliant students. We are enforcing the 16-year minimum entry age into tertiary institutions, but some people are saying there are exceptional students. Yes, there are exceptional students, but they are just one in a million. For such students, we have created the Exceptionally Brilliant Window for those below 16,” he said.
Growing Concern Over Age Manipulation
Prof. Oloyede also expressed concern over the growing trend of parents falsifying their children’s ages to gain early admission into universities. He cited instances where students as young as 10, 11, and 12 had been registered for the UTME through fraudulent means.
“I’m surprised—just from Monday to now, over 2,000 students below the age of 16 have registered. Some of these children are as young as 10 or 11, and their parents have manipulated their ages through affidavits and other means,” Oloyede noted. “Parents want to use their children to decorate their CVs. They want to say, ‘My child graduated at age 13,’ but this practice is harmful to the children’s development.”
Policy Shift on Age Requirement
This development aligns with a recent policy change announced by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, in November 2024, which lowered the minimum age for tertiary admission from 18 to 16 years. Dr. Alausa emphasized that the policy will include special provisions for gifted students under 16.
“We will not be going forward with the 18-year admission benchmark. We will maintain 16 years as the minimum age for entry into tertiary institutions, with exceptions for gifted students,” Alausa said.
Previously, in July 2024, the former Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, had introduced an 18-year age benchmark for tertiary admission, a policy that faced significant backlash before being reversed.
A Balanced Approach
The new policy by JAMB aims to strike a balance between maintaining academic standards and recognizing outstanding talent. While the board continues to enforce the minimum age rule for most candidates, the Exceptionally Brilliant Candidacy window offers a lifeline to gifted students who may not fit into the conventional educational timeline.
Parents and guardians are urged to avoid manipulation of their children’s ages and instead allow them to grow at their natural pace. The board has promised to strictly monitor applications under the new window to ensure only truly exceptional candidates are granted access.
