2026 UTME: 536 Virtually-impaired Candidates’ Participation Shows JAMB’s Inclusivity – Okebukola

Chairman of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Equal Opportunity Group (JEOG), Emeritus Professor Peter Okebukola, has lauded the Registrar of the Board, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, over his commitment to equal access to higher education in Africa.

Okebukola said this while reacting to the participation of 536 blind candidates and others with special needs in the ongoing 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) nationwide.

Speaking to journalists on Monday, at the commencement of the special UTME sessions, he emphasised that the Oloyede-led administration has consistently ensured that no qualified Nigerian is denied the opportunity to sit for the examination on the basis of disability.

Okebukola, who is also the President of the Global University Network for Innovation (GUNi-Africa), said JAMB’s policy was anchored on fairness and inclusion.

He stressed that every candidate who meets the academic requirements deserves a realistic chance of gaining admission into tertiary institutions.

According to Okebukola, the 536 candidates were being examined across 11 designated centres nationwide, under arrangements tailored to their needs.

Since 2017, JAMB—through JEOG—has provided extensive support, including free accommodation for candidates and their guides, feeding, transportation support, and customised materials.

He also highlighted the continued use of a bimodal examination system which allows candidates to choose between Fully-Braille and Fully Read-Aloud formats.

“This approach, now implemented for the third consecutive year, has significantly improved accessibility and candidate experience,” Okebukola said.

Providing a breakdown of candidate distribution, he revealed that Kano recorded the highest number with 136 candidates, followed by Lagos with 95, while Abuja hosted 46 candidates.

Other centres included Ado-Ekiti, Bauchi, Benin City, Enugu, Kebbi, Oyo, Jos, and Yola, each supervised by experienced academics, many of whom are former vice-chancellors.

Okebukola also expressed satisfaction with the improving admission outcomes for candidates with disabilities. In the 2025 admission cycle, 483 candidates applied for tertiary education, out of which 252 secured admission—representing a 52.2 per cent success rate.

“Candidates with visual impairment formed the largest group, accounting for 429 applications, with over half successfully admitted. Other categories, including candidates with Down Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Dyslexia, also recorded notable admission rates, with Dyslexia candidates achieving a 100 percent success rate,” Okebukola said.

He further noted growing interest among candidates in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects, describing it as a positive shift.

However, Okebukola acknowledged ongoing challenges faced by blind students in pursuing science-related disciplines and disclosed that efforts were underway since 2018 to address these barriers.

The initiative, Okebukola said, has gained recognition across Africa as a model for inclusive education.

He said the achievements of JEOG reflected a strong institutional commitment to equity and opportunity in Nigeria’s education system.