Admission: JAMB Screens 176 Underage Candidates With High Scores In 2025 UTME

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has screened 176 exceptional underage candidates who scored precocious marks successful the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The screening exercise, designed to guarantee that lone outstanding and well-prepared candidates beneath the property of 16 are considered for admittance into tertiary institutions for the 2025/2026 world session, was conducted by experts enactment unneurotic by the exam body.

Speaking with journalists successful Abuja connected Wednesday, the president of the Abuja Centre for the screening of under-16 candidates, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, expressed restitution with the creaseless behaviour of the exercise, which was besides held simultaneously successful Owerri and Lagos.

On the screening procedure, Adedoja explained that candidates archetypal sat for a written introspection earlier proceeding to face-to-face interviews.

“They did the archetypal insubstantial which took similar 20 minutes and aft that the papers were marked and they proceeded to the 2nd league and aft that the 3rd 1 and we volition person a look to look enactment with them,” helium said.

The erstwhile Minister of Sports noted that 22 candidates participated successful the Abuja centre, portion 176 candidates took portion nationwide.

“22 candidates are present successful Abuja centre, and nationwide is 176,” helium said, adding that the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, would find erstwhile the results of the screening would beryllium released.

Also speaking aft monitoring the exercise, president of the Senate Committee connected Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, Senator Mohammed Muntari Dandutse, commended JAMB for providing a level for talented underage candidates to show their abilities.

“Now they are giving leverage to the underage truthful that they tin spell to the universities based connected their quality to walk these exams.

“It is precise important for them (underage) to beryllium assessed due to the fact that of the maturity of focus…, due to the fact that if you instrumentality underage to spell to the assemblage and doesn’t perform, it is simply a useless venture. So it is amended that the exam is carried retired truthful that the champion endowment tin beryllium selected and it volition pave the mode for the improvement of this country,” the lawmaker, who represents Katsina South Senatorial District successful the Senate, said.

Dandutse besides reaffirmed the National Assembly’s committedness to supporting President Bola Tinubu’s acquisition policies aimed astatine nationalist development, portion commending JAMB for its consistency and transparency.

“I privation to sincerely commend the enactment of JAMB for their milestone to marque definite that this exam is written crossed the country,” helium said.

On his part, president of the House of Representatives Committee connected Basic Examination Bodies, Hon. Oboku Oforji, who besides monitored the workout successful Abuja, lauded the students for their outstanding performance, noting that it reflects Nigeria’s competitiveness successful acquisition crossed Africa.

“’Because for the underage to person performed exceptionally well, it tells however we are doing successful acquisition arsenic of today. And we are precise arrogant of the agency-JAMB, and we privation to promote them to bash more. Even though we judge that with what we sighted, much is expected to beryllium encouraged,” Offorji, who was joined by his committee members, said.

Meanwhile, a full of 38 retired of 43 shortlisted underage candidates participated successful the screening workout astatine the Owerri Centre.

A full of 41,027 candidates applied nether the class of exceptionally superb underage candidates for the 2025 UTME, but lone 599 of them scored 80 per cent and above.

Some were aboriginal disqualified for not gathering the aforesaid benchmark successful their O-Level oregon Post-UTME results, leaving lone 176 confirmed for last assessment.

The screening sheet comprised representatives from the Federal Ministry of Education, National Universities Commission (NUC), Vice Chancellors, the Gifted School, among others.