'JAMB Isn't Too Difficult to Pass' — Nigeria's Youngest Chartered Accountant

A 16-year-old Nigerian chartered accountant, identified as Osasere Okundaye, has weighed in on the recurring debate over the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), insisting that the examination is not excessively difficult to pass.

Instead of lowering admission cut-off marks, she argued that efforts should be directed toward improving the quality of education available to students across the country.

Okundaye made the remarks during an interview on ARISE Television on Sunday while responding to questions about the standard of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination and the performance of candidates.

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The teenager, who recently made history after qualifying as Nigeria's youngest chartered accountant through the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), revealed that she sat the UTME twice and believes students can excel when they receive quality education and proper academic guidance.

"I feel that JAMB is not too difficult to pass," she said.

According to her, she initially wrote the examination immediately after completing secondary school to gain experience, even though she had no immediate plans to seek university admission. She took the examination again the following year.

However, Okundaye acknowledged that educational opportunities differ widely across Nigeria, making it unfair to judge every student's performance using a single standard.

"I understand that it depends on the quality of education that you are receiving," she said.

"I went to a private school in Lagos. So, there are different standards of education across Nigeria. I can't use my case as a single indicator of the quality across board. I understand that the level of education being provided at different schools would impact how students will be able to perform in those examinations."

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She noted that while JAMB cannot set different examinations for different categories of students, the varying admission cut-off marks adopted by tertiary institutions serve a legitimate purpose.

"But the cut-off for certain institutions, I believe they exist there for a reason," she added.

Speaking on calls for lower admission benchmarks following poor UTME performances in recent years, Okundaye maintained that reducing standards would not address the root causes of the problem.

"I don't think bringing the standard down is the solution," she said.

"I believe moves should be made to improve the quality of education that students are receiving in schools to help them perform better. I think increasing the resources given to people to reach that standard is the solution instead."

She also expressed confidence in the academic potential of Nigerian youths, saying many students can achieve outstanding results when provided with the right learning environment, adequate resources and proper mentorship.

"I believe young people have the ability; they have the potential, so they would be able to perform if they are given additional resources and additional guidance," she said.

Okundaye recently became Nigeria's youngest chartered accountant after completing the rigorous ICAN professional examinations at just 16 years old, breaking the previous record set in 2022 by Jonathan Adewale, who qualified at the age of 17.

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Her journey to the milestone was not without setbacks. She had earlier disclosed that she failed one of her final ICAN professional examination papers before rewriting and passing it, describing the experience as a valuable lesson in resilience and perseverance.

As discussions continue over how to improve UTME outcomes nationwide, education experts have repeatedly stressed that consistent preparation, access to quality learning materials and regular practice remain critical to success.

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