JAMB sets 320 as cut off marks for under-16 admission seekers

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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has said under 16 admission seekers must prove  that are academically exceptional and must score 80 per cent and above in each of the four subjects in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination to be considered for admission.

This translates to a cumulative score of 320 marks out of the total score of 400 in the UTME.

This development comes on the heels of the recent reversal of the mandatory 18-year admission age benchmark introduced by the former Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman.

Olatunji Alausa, the current education minister, reinstated the previous benchmark of 16 years, a move widely supported by stakeholders in the education sector.

However, JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, said at a recent meeting with key stakeholders, —including Chief External Examiners, Chief Technical Advisors, and members of the Equal Opportunity Group, while the 16-year age requirement remains the standard, exceptional candidates under the age of 16 may be granted admission under strict conditions.

According to a transcript of the meeting, published in JAMB’s bulletin Oloyede was quoted Oloyede as saying: “This is about complying with the law. Age plays a crucial role in maturity and academic development. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have age limits for leadership positions such as local government chairman. Biological age is linked to intellectual growth, and while rules exist, there must be room for exceptions.

“The Minister of Education has clearly stated that the minimum age for admission remains 16. However, we acknowledge that some gifted children exist. These individuals should not be overlooked. We must identify them and allow them to sit for the exams.”