Outgoing JAMB Registrar, Professor Is-haq Oloyede
By Felix Khanoba
No fewer than 4,216 candidates living with disabilities have gained admission into Nigerian universities, polytechnics and colleges of education over the past decade through the intervention of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Equal Opportunity Group (JEOG).
The Chairman of JEOG and former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Emeritus Professor Peter Okebukola, made the disclosure on Wednesday during the 2026 JAMB National Stakeholder Engagement on Inclusivity and Higher Education held at the NUC headquarters in Abuja.
JEOG was established by the outgoing JAMB Registrar, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, to promote equal access to the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and tertiary education for candidates with disabilities.
Okebukola said the initiative has consistently delivered positive results over the last 10 years, revealing that an average of 53 per cent of participants secure admission into universities, polytechnics and colleges of education every year.
He noted that the beneficiaries comprise candidates with visual impairment, autism, Down syndrome, albinism and other forms of disability.
“In the last 10 years, we have had 4,216 candidates with different categories of disabilities participate in the programme. On the average, about 53 per cent of them gain admission into universities, polytechnics and colleges of education every year,” he said.
Okebukola maintained that candidates with disabilities are subjected to the same academic requirements as all other UTME candidates, stressing that the programme does not compromise examination standards.
“We do not lower standards for them. They answer the same questions as every other candidate. I am continually amazed by how excellently they perform. Many of them are exceptionally brilliant,” he said.
He added that several beneficiaries have distinguished themselves in highly competitive fields, including Law and other professional programmes, demonstrating that disability does not hinder academic success when the right support systems are in place.
Speaking on the theme of the stakeholder engagement, Okebukola said participants reviewed the achievements of the initiative over the past decade while exploring the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in advancing inclusive higher education.
“We are reviewing what we have achieved in the last 10 years and looking ahead. One of the major issues that will shape the future of higher education is Artificial Intelligence, and we are examining how AI can improve the efficiency of inclusivity in higher education,” he said.
As part of activities commemorating the anniversary, two publications were unveiled. One, A Peep into the Future of Higher Education in Nigeria, was produced in honour of Professor Oloyede and features contributions from 44 scholars on the future of Nigeria’s tertiary education system.
The second book, Early Start, Great Finish: Survival and Success – Manual for Underage Students in Nigerian Universities, written by Okebukola, offers practical guidance to parents, lecturers, administrators and other stakeholders on supporting exceptionally gifted students admitted into universities before the age of 16.
According to Okebukola, the manual draws from consultations with 468 scholars and underage students in Nigerian universities and addresses issues such as bullying, emotional adjustment and social integration.
The event also witnessed tributes to Oloyede from stakeholders, including the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Dr. Sonny Echono, who praised the outgoing JAMB Registrar for reforms that have enhanced the credibility of the UTME and widened access to higher education for persons with disabilities.
JAMB also recognised outstanding members of its workforce, particularly officials in the Information Technology Department, for their commitment and innovation in improving the Board’s operations.
Several universities, polytechnics and colleges of education were equally honoured for their efforts in admitting and supporting candidates with disabilities, in furtherance of JAMB’s vision of a more inclusive tertiary education system.
