As of Monday, data available on the Board's official website also indicated that 62 cases of examination malpractice have been recorded thus far in the registration process.
This registration data comes against the backdrop of recent clarifications regarding the acceptable age for admission into tertiary institutions. The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, recently reinstated 16 years as the standard entry age, emphasizing that candidates below this age would generally be ineligible for admission. However, exceptions will be made for exceptionally gifted students.
JAMB has further clarified this position, stating that underage candidates – those under 16 years old – may be considered for admission if they demonstrate outstanding academic prowess by achieving a score of 80 per cent or higher in the UTME. With the examination graded out of a total of 400 marks, this translates to a minimum required score of 320.
This stance by JAMB follows the recent reversal of the mandatory 18-year age benchmark previously introduced by the former Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman. The return to the 16-year benchmark has garnered widespread support from various stakeholders within the education sector.
Speaking at a recent meeting involving key stakeholders such as Chief External Examiners, Chief Technical Advisors, and members of the Equal Opportunity Group, JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, reiterated that while the 16-year age requirement stands as the norm, candidates below this age may only be granted admission under stringent and exceptional circumstances, specifically the demonstration of remarkable academic ability in the UTME.
CBT Transition for WAEC and NECO:
In a parallel development aimed at bolstering the integrity of national examinations, the Minister of Education has issued a directive mandating that both the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) must commence administering their objective tests via Computer-Based Testing (CBT) by November 2025.
According to Dr. Alausa, the transition to CBT will be comprehensive. By the May/June 2026 examination season, both the objective and essay components of WAEC and NECO examinations are expected to be fully transitioned to CBT. This strategic move is intended to further mitigate the incidence of examination malpractice and enhance the credibility of the national examination system.