At just 16 years old, Osasere Okundaye has already accomplished what many professionals spend years pursuing. Having recently become Nigeria’s youngest chartered accountant, the teenager is now adding her voice to one of the country’s most debated education issues—the performance of candidates in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Rather than attributing poor results to the examination itself, Okundaye believes the conversation should focus on improving the quality of education available to learners across the country. Speaking during an interview on ARISE Television, she maintained that the UTME is not inherently difficult, stressing that students who receive sound academic preparation are capable of meeting its demands.
Her perspective comes amid continuing national discussions over JAMB results, admission benchmarks and the standard of teaching in Nigerian schools. Every year, the release of UTME scores sparks debate over whether the examination has become too demanding or whether deeper challenges within the education system are responsible for candidates’ performance.
Drawing from her personal experience, Okundaye revealed that she sat the UTME twice. The first attempt, she explained, was simply to familiarise herself with the examination because she was not yet seeking university admission. She later retook it when she became eligible, giving her first-hand insight into the process.
However, the young accountant was careful not to present her own experience as the standard for every Nigerian student. She acknowledged that educational opportunities differ significantly from one school to another, noting that learners are exposed to varying levels of teaching quality, academic resources and learning environments. According to her, these differences inevitably influence how students perform in national examinations.
Instead of advocating lower admission cut-off marks, Okundaye argued that policymakers should direct greater attention towards strengthening schools and expanding access to quality learning resources. In her view, raising educational standards is a more sustainable solution than reducing the expectations placed on students.
Her comments align with longstanding concerns raised by education specialists, who have consistently pointed to disparities in infrastructure, teacher quality, classroom resources and learning conditions across Nigeria’s education system. While some schools are equipped with modern facilities and experienced educators, many others continue to operate under significant constraints, creating unequal learning experiences for students preparing for the same national examinations.
Okundaye also expressed confidence in the ability of Nigerian youths to excel academically when given the right support. She maintained that talent is abundant among young people and that improved guidance, educational resources and effective instruction would enable many more students to achieve outstanding results.
Her remarkable academic journey has itself become an example of perseverance. Earlier this year, she made history by qualifying as Nigeria’s youngest chartered accountant through the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), surpassing the previous national record set by Jonathan Adewale in 2022. Before reaching that milestone, she had openly spoken about failing one of her final professional examination papers, rewriting it successfully and using the setback as motivation rather than discouragement.
Education stakeholders say stories like Okundaye’s reinforce the importance of resilience, disciplined study habits and continuous learning. They also highlight the need for sustained investment in schools so that academic success becomes attainable for students regardless of where they live or the type of institution they attend.
As discussions over UTME performance continue, Okundaye’s message shifts attention from examination difficulty to educational preparedness. Her position suggests that lasting improvement in student outcomes will depend less on lowering academic expectations and more on ensuring that every learner has access to the knowledge, teaching and support required to meet them.
