The University of Ilorin has expressed optimism about an increase in its admission quota for the 2025 academic session, citing infrastructural developments and improved facilities as key factors positioning the institution for growth.
Speaking during a monitoring visit by the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Olanrewaju Oloyede, CON, to the UNILORIN CBT Registration Centre, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, noted that the University has enhanced its capacity to accommodate more students. He stated that the institution remains committed to providing a conducive academic environment to support a larger number of qualified applicants.
Prof. Egbewole commended the seamless registration process for the 2025 UTME exercise, emphasizing that JAMB’s structured system has facilitated efficiency at the University’s CBT centre. He applauded the strong collaboration between UNILORIN and JAMB, noting that it has significantly reduced challenges faced by candidates during registration.
Meanwhile, JAMB Registrar, Prof. Oloyede, reaffirmed the Board’s commitment to maintaining the minimum admission age at 16 years. He explained that the decision was aimed at allowing exceptional candidates to advance academically without undue restrictions while ensuring that others do not enter tertiary institutions prematurely.
During his address, Prof. Oloyede revealed that JAMB had previously considered barring candidates under 16 from sitting for UTME but introduced an indemnity process instead. This process requires underage candidates to formally declare their exceptional academic abilities before being granted permission to take the examination.
Analyzing the performance of underage candidates over the last decade, the JAMB Registrar disclosed that 70% of them struggled to achieve their academic goals, with many later expressing regret over early university entry. He shared a personal anecdote from his tenure as UNILORIN’s Vice Chancellor, where a student who was pressured into studying Medicine abandoned the program at 600 level and later pursued Mass Communication, graduating with a First-Class from another institution.
Prof. Oloyede criticized parents who impose career choices on their children for personal prestige rather than considering their interests and abilities. He stressed that education should be tailored to students’ strengths, rather than being used as a status symbol for parents.
Speaking on the efficiency of the ongoing registration exercise, Prof. Oloyede praised the performance of UNILORIN’s CBT Centre and other accredited centres in the state, attributing the success to JAMB staff’s dedication and compliance with operational guidelines. He also acknowledged the role of security agencies in maintaining order and telecommunications companies in ensuring smooth internet connectivity for the exercise.
Highlighting JAMB’s enforcement of discipline, Prof. Oloyede disclosed that six CBT centres had been sanctioned for engaging in blank registrations, a malpractice linked to examination fraud. These centres faced a one-week suspension before being summoned for a review meeting, where they issued formal apologies. He noted that while JAMB initially considered a two-week suspension, it opted for a shorter duration to avoid penalizing innocent candidates registered at the affected centres.
To uphold examination integrity, JAMB has now blacklisted individuals responsible for such infractions, ensuring they remain permanently excluded from all JAMB-related activities, regardless of any future academic roles they may assume.
Also, Prof. Oloyede used the occasion to highlight UNILORIN’s back-to-back victories in the National Tertiary Admissions’ Performance-Merit Award (NATAP-M Award) for the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 academic sessions. He attributed the recognition to the institution’s strict adherence to admission guidelines and consistent excellence, reinforcing its reputation as Nigeria’s most sought-after university.
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