Nigeria’s Youngest Chartered Accountant Says UTME Is Passable With Quality Education
Nigeria’s youngest chartered accountant, Osasere Okundaye has urged young people to have faith in their capabilities, noting that students can pass major exams if they are given quality education, guidance and support.
The 16-year-old said this in an interview on the ARISE Television, as he spoke about the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), admission criteria and problems of the education system in Nigeria.
Okundaye said that passing UTME was not a dream come true because students’ performance in the exams was often dependent on the quality of education and preparation they had received. She said that the learning environment varies from state to state, which can impact students’ performance.
The young academic achiever revealed that she took the UTME twice. Her first was primarily for experience, she was not immediately seeking admission. Later she sat for the exam as part of her studies.
Okundaye said while there was a need to discuss concerns about examination standards, reducing standards would not address the challenges in the education system. Rather, she urged more investment in schools, improved learning materials and improved support systems for students.
She also urged young Nigerians to have a sense of their potentials and strive to achieve their aspirations with determination.
Recently, Okundaye became the youngest Chartered Accountant in Nigeria at age 16, having passed the professional examinations of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). Her qualification was the best of a 17-year-old, who qualified last year.
She has also demonstrated the value of resilience along the way. She earlier admitted that she had failed one of her final papers in ICAN exams on the first attempt but went back to pass it.
Her tale continues to motivate young people and children, demonstrating that with talent, dedication, and support, age is no barrier to success.
