By Peace Erewunmi

Nigeria’s youngest chartered accountant, Osasere Okundaye, has said the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is not excessively difficult to pass, arguing that the real challenge lies in the quality of education available to many students across the country.

Speaking during an interview on ARISE Television, the 16-year-old noted that educational opportunities differ significantly across Nigeria. She explained that while she benefited from attending a private school in Lagos, many students do not have access to the same level of educational resources and support.

Okundaye revealed that she sat for the UTME twice, explaining that her first attempt was mainly to familiarise herself with the examination format before taking it again when she was ready to seek university admission.

She also opposed calls to lower university admission cut-off marks, maintaining that reducing academic standards would not address the underlying problems in the education sector. Instead, she urged government and stakeholders to improve the quality of teaching, learning facilities and educational resources so that more students can meet existing standards.

Okundaye recently made history after becoming Nigeria’s youngest chartered accountant by successfully completing the professional examinations of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), a feat that has earned her national recognition.