By Mariam Abeeb
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Wednesday screened 176 exceptional underaged candidates who scored high marks in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The screening exercise, designed to ensure that only outstanding and well-prepared candidates below the age of 16 are considered for admission into tertiary institutions for the 2025/2026 academic session, was conducted by experts put together by the exam body.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja, the Chairman of the Abuja Centre for the screening of under-16 candidates, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, expressed satisfaction with the smooth conduct of the exercise, which was also held simultaneously in Owerri and Lagos.
On the screening procedure, Adedoja explained that candidates first sat for a written examination before proceeding to face-to-face interviews.
“They did the first paper which took like 20 minutes and after that the papers were marked and they proceeded to the second session and after that the third one and we will have a face to face interaction with them,” he said.
The former Minister of Sports noted that 22 candidates participated in the Abuja centre, while 176 candidates took part nationwide.
“22 candidates are here in Abuja centre, and nationwide is 176,” he said, adding that the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, would determine when the results of the screening would be released.
Also speaking after monitoring the exercise, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, Senator Mohammed Muntari Dandutse, commended JAMB for providing a platform for talented underage candidates to demonstrate their abilities.
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