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OVER 41,000 UNDER 16 CANDIDATES SIT FOR 2025 UTME A total of 41,027 underage candidates were among the 2.03 million who registered for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. This was according to real-time data obtained from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board registration dashboard on Tuesday. According to data available on the Board’s official website as of Monday, 62 cases of examination malpractice have been recorded so far. Recall that the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, recently reinstated the acceptable age for admission into tertiary institutions as 16 years. He emphasised that candidates below this age would not be eligible for admission, although exceptions would be made for academically gifted students. JAMB has also clarified that underage candidates—those below 16—may be considered for admission if they demonstrate academic excellence by scoring 80 per cent or more in the UTME. Given that the examination is scored out of 400 marks, this translates to a minimum of 320.This position by JAMB followed the reversal of the mandatory 18-year age benchmark previously introduced by former Education Minister, Prof. Tahir Mamman. The return to the 16-year benchmark has been widely supported by stakeholders across the education sector. Speaking at a recent meeting with key stakeholders—including 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 remains the standard, candidates under that age may be granted admission only under strict, exceptional conditions. Meanwhile, the Minister of Education has directed that by November 2025, both the West African Examinations Council and the National Examinations Council must begin administering their objective tests via Computer-Based Testing. According to Alausa, by the May/June 2026 examination season, both the objective and essay components of WAEC and NECO exams are expected to be fully transitioned to CBT—a move aimed at further curbing examination malpractice. credit: MIKE-MEDIA

Late Gospel Singer, Osinachi’s Husband Sentenced to death by Hanging Late gospel singer, Osinachi’s husband sentenced to de@th by hanging Justice Nwosu-Iheme of a FCT High Court Wuse Zone 2 in Abuja today April 28, sentenced the husband of late gospel singer, Osinachi, Peter Nwachukwu, to de@th by hanging. This was after the court found Nwachukwu guilty of culpable hom!cide resulting in the de@th of the celebrated singer on April 8, 2022. While delivering his judgment, Justice Nwosu-Iheme held that the prosecution had proven the burden of proof placed on it by the law and subsequently found the defendant guilty. Nwachukwu first was arraigned on June 3, 2022, by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (OAGF), on behalf of the Federal Government, on a 23-count charge. The charge was on culpable hom!cide punishable with de@th, criminal intimidation, cruelty to children, criminal intimidation of children, spousal battery, among others. The prosecution team presented seventeen witnesses including two children of the late Osinachi, who testified as fourth and fifth prosecution witnesses, PW4 and PW5, respectively. The prosecution also tendered 25 documents as exhibits before the court. The defendant testified for the defence and further called four other witnesses and tendered four exhibits in his defence. Shortly before sentencing, the defendant, counsel, Reginald Nwali, in his allocutus pleaded with the court to be lenient in its judgment. Similarly, the prosecution counsel, Mrs Aderonke Imala, urged the court to give force to the law as stipulated. Delivering his judgment, the presiding judge thereafter sentenced Nwachukwu to de@th by hanging on Count 1, while he was sentenced to two years imprisonment each on Counts 2, 3, 8,9, 12, 13, and 18. The court sentenced the defendant to six months imprisonment on Count 10, three years imprisonment in Count 11, while he was fined the sum of N500,000 and N200,000 respectively on Counts 6 and 7 respectively.

JAMB DEPLOYS NSCDC PERSONNEL TO SECURE UTME EXAM CENTRES Officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps have been deployed to all accredited Computer-Based Test centres in Anambra State in preparation for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, which is set to begin on April 24. The Head, Media and Tactical, Anambra NSCDC, Edwin Okadigbo, stated this in a press statement on Wednesday, adding that all the 33 CBT centres across the state would have adequate security personnel. Okadigbo said the state commandant, Olatunde Maku, ordered the deployment of personnel to provide security for the examination to go smooth and without any difficulty across the state. The statement read, “Briefing the area commanders, divisional officers, heads of formations and composite commanders on Tuesday, at the State Command Headquarters Awka, the State NSCDC boss said the personnel would respond promptly to duty calls. They will provide security for the critical infrastructure, prevent intrusion of unwanted persons and uphold the integrity of the examination in all the 33 accredited CBT centres across the state. According to him, the NSCDC state commandant as warned against unauthorised persons loitering around designated CBT exam centres and advised candidates against bringing prohibited items, emphasising the command’s commitment to arrest and prosecute anyone found wanting. credit: MIKE- MEDIA

JAMB EXPRESSES READINESS FOR 2025 UTME As Nigeria braces for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has declared its comprehensive readiness to deliver a seamless testing exercise for over two million registered candidates across the country. JAMB’s Head of Public Affairs and Protocol, Dr Benjamin Fabian, made this known during an online media dialogue organised by the Education Writers’ Association of Nigeria (EWAN) on Wednesday. He disclosed that the examination, which begins today (Thursday), will be held across 887 centres nationwide, with more than 10,000 JAMB officials deployed to manage logistics and ensure strict compliance with examination standards. Dr Fabian assured stakeholders that no candidate was assigned to any examination centre outside their chosen town, except where capacity had been exceeded at the time of registration. He added, “What could make any candidate to be taken outside their selected exam towns and which would be the nearest one can only be when the available centres have been filled up at the time of registration.” Fabian also reaffirmed the board’s dedication to inclusivity, stating that JAMB had put in place special provisions for candidates living with disabilities, including free registration, transportation, accommodation, and feeding support throughout the examination period. Addressing concerns over the hitches experienced during the mock UTME held weeks earlier, Fabian said the issues had been fully resolved. “The technical hitches recorded during the recent mock exam, which was meant to test our preparedness and acclimatise candidates to the CBT mode, have all been fixed. There is absolutely nothing to worry about,” he said. The JAMB spokesperson also cautioned against misinformation regarding exam timing, noting that the actual start time is 8:00 a.m. “Candidates are advised to arrive at their centres early enough for biometric verification and some minutes of calm ahead of their papers. Contrary to rumours, the exam does not start at 6:30 a.m.,” Fabian clarified. In his opening remarks, EWAN Chairman, Mr Mojeed Alabi, stressed the importance of continuous stakeholder engagement in the education sector. “The UTME is a vital examination that determines the future of millions of Nigerian youths. As education journalists, we remain committed to spotlighting such pivotal issues that shape our national development,” he said. With these assurances, JAMB has reiterated its commitment to ensuring fairness, efficiency, and a level playing field for all candidates as the 2025 UTME commences nationwide. credit: MIKE-MEDIA

FG releases 50bn to ASUU, Other Varsity Unions The announcement was made by Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa, through a statement released by Director of Press at the Federal Ministry of Education, Folasade Boriowo. According to the statement titled “FG Releases N50bn Earned Allowances to Varsity Unions, Tinubu Reaffirms Education Priority“, the release of funds is in line with President Bola Tinubu’s promise to support the education sector and prioritize the welfare of staff and students in higher institutions. This intervention is not just a financial transaction—it is a reaffirmation of our President’s belief in the capacity of Nigerian youth and the invaluable role that academic and non-academic staff play in nurturing them,” the Minister stated. “By prioritising their welfare, we are laying the foundation for a future where every Nigerian child receives highly qualitative and globally competitive education.” credit: MIKE-MEDIA

JAMB COMMENDS MR PRESIDENT FOR NEWLY LICENSED TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS, ROLLS OUT ADMISSION GUIDELINES, CAPS, AND IBASS The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving the establishment of new tertiary institutions in Nigeria. The Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, made this commendation during an interactive meeting with principal officers of newly established, upgraded, and adopted universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across the country on April 14, 2025, in Abuja. Prof. Oloyede noted that the approval of 67 new higher institutions, comprising 22 universities, 33 polytechnics and mono-technics, and 12 colleges of education between late 2024 and 2025, demonstrates President Tinubu’s commitment to expanding access to tertiary education in Nigeria. The interactive session was organized to introduce the institutions to the regulatory framework guiding admission processes on the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) and the operations of the Integrated Brochure and Syllabus System (IBASS). According to Prof. Oloyede, JAMB, as part of its regulatory mandate, oversees admissions into all tertiary institutions in Nigeria in collaboration with regulatory bodies such as the National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), professional bodies, and tertiary institutions. He stated, “It is due to your late entry into the session that JAMB deemed it necessary to hold this interactive meeting with you.” Prof. Oloyede urged the institutions to avoid conducting illegal admissions or engaging in any infractions, emphasizing that there would be no room for regularization or confinement of such admissions. All admissions must be processed through the automated Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS). Introduced in 2017, CAPS automates and streamlines admission processes, while IBASS, launched in 2018, facilitates communication among regulatory bodies and enables candidates to check their eligibility for academic programs. Prof. Oloyede emphasized, “CAPS ensures transparency, fairness, and integrity in the admission process. Any institution attempting to bypass this platform risks having such admissions nullified.” He further explained that CAPS and IBASS have replaced paper-based processes and are now equipped with institutional mail services, serving as JAMB’s sole official communication channel with institutions and regulatory bodies. Only academic programs approved by regulatory bodies will be activated on the JAMB platform, and Prof. Oloyede urged institutions yet to comply to do so promptly. He informed attendees that JAMB had created accounts for them on both platforms and advised their delegated handlers to safeguard their passwords, as heads of institutions would be held liable for any infractions committed through these platforms. Goodwill messages were delivered by heads of regulatory institutions, directors from the Federal Ministry of Education, and other critical stakeholders, who commended JAMB for its efficient service delivery and innovations in conducting the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and admissions into Nigeria’s tertiary institutions. The highlight of the meeting was a live demonstration of the use of CAPS, IBASS, and the institutional mailing system. credit: MIKE-MEDIA

WAEC REVOKES LICENCES OF 574 SCHOOLS OVER EXAM MALPRACTICES The West African Examinations Council (WAEC), Nigeria, has revoked the licences of 574 schools found guilty of examination malpractice. Speaking during a press briefing on Thursday at WAEC’s national headquarters in Lagos, the head of the national office, Dr Amos Dangut, said the list of affected schools has been submitted to the federal government. “This year, we have shared with them a total of 574 schools whose recognition has been withdrawn. This measure will also be adopted by all examining bodies.These schools are no longer recognised as examination centres by WAEC, and we will not conduct exams there,” he said. Ahead of the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), scheduled from Thursday, April 24 to Friday, June 20, 2025, Dr Dangut revealed that 1,973,253 candidates from 23,554 schools have registered for the examination. He said of this number, 979,228 are males, while 994,025 are females, an increase of 158,627 candidates compared to last year. Dr Dangut highlighted WAEC’s commitment to leveraging technology, introducing the first-ever Computer-Based WASSCE (CB-WASSCE) for school candidates. He further disclosed that no two candidates will receive identical questions in a bid to uphold academic integrity and discourage cheating. credit: MIKE-MEDIA