The EdTech platform has helped over 300,000 students across Nigeria prepare for and pass local and international examinations through mobile-based practice, offline learning resources, and online instruction.

The update comes as registration for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) is expected to commence soon.

According to the company, the new features include AI-powered explanations for exam questions, expanded offline practice tools, and a live online lesson module.

The AI explanation feature is designed to provide step-by-step reasoning for exam questions, with particular focus on subjects such as Mathematics and Physics.

The system explains how answers are derived rather than simply presenting final results, a model the company says is intended to support conceptual understanding.

In addition, Class54 has introduced live online lessons that allow students to participate in real-time virtual classes led by subject instructors. The sessions are structured to cover syllabus topics and examination strategies through interactive teaching.

Speaking on the technical development behind the update, Class54’s Chief Technology Officer, Oluwasegun Ige, said the platform was built to balance academic depth with mobile accessibility.

“Delivering AI-powered explanations and live lessons in a lightweight mobile environment required careful optimization,” Ige said. “The focus was to ensure the platform remains usable even with limited data access, while maintaining strong offline functionality.”

The platform also continues to offer full offline access to over 25 years of past JAMB and WAEC questions, alongside a voice-enabled assistant that reads exam literature and summaries aloud for users.

Class54 operates on a single subscription model, which covers JAMB, WAEC, and Post-UTME preparation. The company says the plan is designed to reduce the need for multiple exam preparation tools.

With the 2026 examination cycle approaching, Class54 stated that the latest update is intended to provide students with additional digital learning options alongside traditional study methods. The mobile application is available on both Android and iOS platforms.

More About Class54

• Class54 is a Nigerian education technology platform focused on exam preparation for local and international assessments. The company provides mobile-based practice tools, offline learning resources, and online instructional support for students across Nigeria.

The directive by Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board follows the recent reversal of the mandatory 18-year admission age benchmark introduced by Tahir Mamman, the former Minister of Education.

The current education minister, Olatunji Alausa, reinstated the previous benchmark of 16 years, a move widely supported by stakeholders in the education sector.

Speaking during a recent meeting with key stakeholders—including Chief External Examiners, Chief Technical Advisors, and members of the Equal Opportunity Group— Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, the registrar of JAMB, stated that while the 16-year age requirement remains the standard, exceptional candidates under the age of 16 may be granted admission under strict conditions.

A transcript of the meeting, published in JAMB’s bulletin quoted Oloyede as saying:

“This is about complying with the law. Age plays a crucial role in maturity and academic development. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have age limits for leadership positions such as local government chairman. Biological age is linked to intellectual growth, and while rules exist, there must be room for exceptions.

“The Minister of Education has clearly stated that the minimum age for admission remains 16. However, we acknowledge that some gifted children exist. These individuals should not be overlooked. We must identify them and allow them to sit for the exams.”

Oloyede emphasised that exceptional students must demonstrate outstanding academic ability across multiple assessments, including the UTME, WASSCE, Post-UTME, and GCE O/Level.

“If a candidate under 16 scores 200 out of 400 in the UTME, can they truly be considered exceptional? However, if they achieve 80% (320/400), that signals exceptional ability and warrants consideration,” he added.

He, however, expressed concerns over the role of private universities in admitting underage students, stating that many of these candidates struggle academically, with up to 80 per cent eventually being transferred to other programmes due to poor performance.

Oloyede also condemned the manipulation of birth records by parents seeking early admission for their wards, only to later attempt to alter their ages for eligibility in the National Youth Service Corps programme.

Recently in Lagos, the JAMB Registrar disclosed that the exam body had introduced a mock UTME for underage candidates.

Oloyede explained that the mock UTME is not for the purpose of tertiary institution admission but for underage seeking to test their ability.

“We are starting the sale of forms on the 31st of January till 5th of March. There will be a mock exam on the 23rd of February and on the 8th of March there will be UTME,” the JAMB Registrar said.

[Source: PUNCH]