The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the opening of its “Exceptionally Brilliant Window,” allowing candidates below the age of 16 to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Speaking as a guest on the Sunday edition of Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, aired on Channels Television, JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, emphasized the board’s commitment to fostering exceptional talent in Nigeria. Oloyede, who is also a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, explained that while the minimum age for entry into tertiary institutions remains 16, the new provision is aimed at accommodating those extraordinary students who demonstrate exceptional academic abilities.

Oloyede clarified that while the 16-year age minimum remains the standard, students who fall below that age but have shown extraordinary intellect can apply through the exceptional candidacy window. “Yes, there are exceptional students, but they are just one in a million,” he stated. The Registrar noted the growing interest in the initiative, revealing that over 2,000 students across Nigeria had already registered in just a few days. These candidates, some as young as 10, 11, or 12 years old, are being supported by parents who seek to accelerate their children’s education, even at the cost of manipulating official documents such as age affidavits.

While acknowledging the presence of gifted students, Oloyede expressed concerns about the growing trend of parents seeking to advance their children’s academic careers by falsifying their age. He lamented that some parents were inflating their children’s ages in an attempt to fast-track their education for personal pride or to boast about early achievements. “Normal children cannot grow at a rate higher than their biological age,” he remarked, stressing the potential negative implications of such practices. The introduction of the “Exceptionally Brilliant Window” aims to balance nurturing exceptional talent while ensuring that age-related education policies are not compromised.