A total of 536 candidates with visual impairments and other special needs are participating in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination across 11 designated centres nationwide, with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board providing free accommodation, feeding, and transportation support for each candidate and their guides.
Emeritus Professor Peter Okebukola, Chairman of the JAMB Equal Opportunity Group, disclosed this while speaking to journalists on Monday at the commencement of the special examination sessions, commending JAMB Registrar Professor Ishaq Oloyede for sustaining the board’s commitment to inclusive access to higher education.
Okebukola, who also serves as President of the Global University Network for Innovation, noted that Kano recorded the highest number of participating candidates at 136, followed by Lagos with 95 and Abuja with 46. Other centres hosting candidates include Ado Ekiti, Bauchi, Benin City, Enugu, Kebbi, Oyo, Jos, and Yola, each supervised by experienced academics, including former vice chancellors.
The examination is being conducted using a bimodal system, offering candidates the choice between Fully Braille and Fully Read Aloud formats. Okebukola noted that the approach was being implemented for the third consecutive year and had significantly improved both accessibility and candidate experience.
Support arrangements under the JAMB Equal Opportunity Group, in place since 2017, cover customised examination materials alongside logistical provisions for candidates and their accompanying guides.
Okebukola also referenced admission outcomes from the 2025 cycle, revealing that 483 candidates with disabilities applied for tertiary education, of whom 252 secured placements, representing a 52.2% 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% success rate,” Okebukola stated.
He further acknowledged ongoing challenges facing blind students in science related disciplines, adding that efforts to address those barriers had been underway since 2018. Growing interest among candidates with disabilities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics was described as an encouraging development.
The initiative has been recognised across Africa as a model for inclusive education practice.
Last Updated on April 21, 2026 by Ola Funmilayo
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