JAMB Announces Cut-Off Mark for Candidates Under 16

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that candidates under 16 years old may be considered for admission into tertiary institutions if they score at least 80% (320 out of 400) in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

This decision comes after the reversal of the mandatory 18-year age benchmark introduced by former Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman. The current Minister of Education, Olatunji Alausa, reinstated the previous 16-year minimum age, a move welcomed by education stakeholders.

Strict Conditions for Admission
JAMB’s Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, clarified that while the 16-year age requirement remains standard, exceptional candidates under 16 years old will be given special consideration under strict conditions.

He explained:

“Age plays a crucial role in maturity and academic development. However, we recognize that some children are gifted and should not be overlooked. These individuals must prove their ability across multiple assessments, including UTME, WASSCE, Post-UTME, and GCE O/Level.”

Oloyede emphasized that simply scoring 200 out of 400 in UTME would not qualify a candidate as exceptional. However, a score of 320 and above would demonstrate outstanding ability and merit consideration.

Concerns Over Private Universities and Age Manipulation
The JAMB Registrar also criticized some private universities for admitting underage students who later struggle academically. He revealed that up to 80% of such students eventually switch to other programmes due to poor performance.

Additionally, Oloyede condemned the manipulation of birth records by parents who push for early university admission but later try to alter their child’s age for eligibility in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme.

Introduction of Mock UTME for Underage Students
To assess the capabilities of younger candidates, JAMB has introduced a mock UTME for underage students. However, this exam is not meant for direct university admission but rather to allow students to test their abilities.

The JAMB form sales begin on January 31st and end on March 5th, while the mock UTME will be held on February 23rd, followed by the main UTME on March 8th.