Nigeria’s youngest chartered accountant, Osasere Okundaye, has asserted that the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination is not overly tough to clear, contending that the caliber of schooling provided to students holds a bigger influence on results than reducing entry benchmarks.
She was sharing her perspective on the current discussion surrounding JAMB outcomes, admission threshold marks, and the quality of instruction in the nation.
The adolescent, who recently earned the title of Nigeria’s youngest chartered accountant by qualifying via the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, noted that she had attempted the UTME twice and maintained that candidates can achieve high marks if provided with solid instruction and proper backing. “I believe that JAMB is not overly difficult to clear,” she remarked.
She clarified that she initially sat for the assessment upon graduating from secondary school merely to get a feel for it, since she had no immediate intention to pursue university admission at that moment, before retaking it the following year.
Okundaye, nevertheless, conceded that academic standards vary considerably throughout the nation, which complicates comparing student achievements directly. “I understand that it depends on the quality of education that you are receiving.
“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.
“And you can’t say JAMB should like create different examinations for everyone, but the cut-off for certain institutions, I believe they exist there for a reason,” she noted.
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She maintained that lowering entry threshold marks is not the remedy for weak results in JAMB assessments.
“I don’t think bringing the standard down is the solution.
“I believe moves should be made to improve the quality of education that students are receiving in schools to help them perform better.
In her view, Nigerian youth possess the capacity to thrive academically provided they receive the requisite support.
“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 added.
Okundaye recently set a record by becoming Nigeria’s youngest chartered accountant at 16 years old after navigating the demanding ICAN professional assessments.
Her feat eclipsed the prior milestone established in 2022 by Jonathan Adewale, who earned his charter at age 17.
She previously revealed that she stumbled on one of her final ICAN professional papers before re-sitting and clearing it, viewing the initial failure as a natural step in her three-year path toward qualification.
