Campus News

Why JAMB retains 16-year minimum age  for admission – Oloyede

….. Unilorin eyes growth in JAMB quota – Egbewole

The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Olanrewaju Oloyede, CON, has said that the Board retained 16 years as the minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions in the country to accommodate exceptional candidates who meet all academic requirements and to ensure that qualified admission seekers do not face unnecessary delays in their academic progression.

Prof. Oloyede made this known last Monday (February 10, 2025) during a visit to the University of Ilorin CBT Registration Centre, where he monitored the ongoing registration of candidates for the 2025 UTME exercise.

The Registrar said JAMB had initially considered preventing under 16 candidates from writing the UTME, but the Board observed that this could deny the exceptionally brilliant students among them the opportunities to prove their mettle. To address this, he said an indemnity process was introduced, which requires all underage candidates to formally declare their extraordinary academic abilities before being allowed to take the examination.

While analysing the performance of underage candidates over the past decade, the JAMB Registrar revealed that 70% of them failed to achieve their academic goals and many later expressed regret over their early entry into universities.

Prof. Oloyede, who is a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, also recounted an experience from his tenure as Vice-Chancellor of the University. He said, “There was a case where I had to plead with a student to complete his studies for his father’s sake. The father wanted him to study Medicine, and he made it to 600 level. But just three months before his final exams, he refused to write them. Despite all efforts, he left, later enrolled at the University of Lagos, studied Mass Communication, and graduated with a First-Class.”

The JAMB Registrar criticised parents who pressure their children into careers solely to boost their own status. “Some parents misdirect their children out of selfishness. They want to use them to decorate their CVs, by saying, ‘I am the father of a doctor’ or ‘I am the father of a lawyer.’ But they fail to consider what is best for the child”, he lamented.

While sharing his impression of the UNILORIN CBT Centre accredited for registration of UTME and DE candidates and its compliance with laid-down rules, the JAMB Registrar said that the performance of the University of Ilorin UTME Registration Centre and other centres across the state has been excellent. He also took time to commend the CBT centres, the staff of JAMB, and the security agents participating in the exercise.

Prof. Oloyede, who acknowledged a significant improvement from past challenges of inefficiencies and excuses eight years ago, attributed the efficiency of the process of the 2025 exercise to the dedication and competence of JAMB staff in upholding high standards. He equally credited security agencies for maintaining order, and highlighted the role of telecommunications companies whose cooperation, following clear instructions, has contributed to the success of the exercise so far.

The JAMB Registrar noted that CBT Centres have shown greater compliance with regulations and those found wanting have been punished appropriately. 

Prof. Oloyede also announced that six centres were recently sanctioned for engaging in blank registrations, a practice linked to exam malpractice, and were suspended for a week as a corrective measure before being called for a meeting where they issued formal apologies. Although JAMB initially considered a two-week suspension, he said the Board opted for a shorter duration to prevent penalising innocent candidates who had registered with those centres.

To maintain integrity, he said JAMB has now identified and blacklisted specific individuals responsible for the infractions. Regardless of their future roles, even if they become lecturers or Vice Chancellors, Prof. Oloyede said they would remain permanently excluded from all JAMB-related activities.

Prof. Oloyede, however, used the opportunity provided by the monitoring tour to explain how the University of Ilorin emerged as the winner of the National Tertiary Admissions’ Performance-Merit Award (NATAP-M Award) for the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 academic sessions, saying that the most sought-after University in Nigeria met all requirements and complied with admission guidelines. 

Meanwhile, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, has expressed optimism that the admission quota of the University for the 2025 Admission Exercise would increase, citing the numerous facilities and improvements put in place by the Institution. He noted that these developments have better positioned the University to accommodate a larger number of candidates.

Commenting on the ongoing UTME registration at the UNILORIN CBT Centre, Prof. Egbewole said that the process has been smooth and very orderly, stating that the system put in place by JAMB has significantly facilitated the process this year.

The Vice Chancellor praised the University’s collaboration with JAMB and the seamless coordination of the registration process, which has made it easier for candidates to complete their registration without any major challenges.