JAMB 2026 Biology Syllabus (PDF)

1. Living organisms:

a. Characteristics

b. Cell structure and functions of cell components

c. Level of organization
i. Cell e.g. euglena and paramecium,
ii. Tissue e.g. epithelial tissues and hydra
iii. Organ e.g. onion bulb
iv. Systems e.g. reproductive, digestive and excretory
v. Organisms e.g. Chlamydomonas

i. differentiate between the characteristics of living and non-living things.

ii. identify the structures of plant and animal cells.

iii. analyse the functions of the components of plant and animal
cells.

iv. compare and contrast the structure of plant and animal cells.

v. trace the levels of organization among organisms in their logical sequence in relation to the five levels of organization
of living organisms.

c. Fungi, e.g. mushroom and Rhizopus.

d. Plantae (plants)

i. Thallophyta (e.g. Spirogyra).

ii. Bryophyta (mosses and liverworts) e.g.
Brachmenium and Merchantia.

iii. Pteridophyta (ferns) e.g. Dryopteris.

iv. Spermatophyta (Gymnospermae and
Angiospermae)
– Gymnosperms e.g. Cycads and conifers. – Angiosperms (monocots, e.g. maize; dicots, e.g. water leaf)

e. Animalia (animals)

i. Invertebrates
– coelenterate e.g. Hydra
– Platyhelminthes flatworms e.g. Taenia
– Nematoda (roundworms)
– Annelida e.g. earthworm
– Arthropoda e.g. mosquito, cockroach,
housefly, bee, butterfly
– Mollusca e.g. snails

ii. Multicellular animals (vertebrates)
– Pisces (cartilaginous and bony fish)
– Amphibia e.g. toads and frogs
– Reptilia e.g. lizards, snakes and turtles
Aves (birds)
– Mammalia (mammals)

iii. trace the stages in the life histories of the listed organisms.

iv. apply the knowledge of the life histories to demonstrate gradual transition from life in water to life on land.

v. trace the evolution of the listed plants.

Candidates should be able to:

i. trace the advancement of the invertebrate animals.

ii. determine the economic importance of the insects studied.

iii. assess their values to the environment.

iv. trace the advancement of multi-cellular animals.

v. determine their economic importance.

b. Behavioural adaptations in social animals

c. Structural adaptations in organisms

iii. Differentiate various castes in social insects like termites and their functions in their colony hive.

iv. Account for basking in lizards, territorial behavour of other animals under unfavourable conditions (hibernation and
aestivation).

i. account for adaptation in organisms with respect to the following:

– Obtaining food (beaks and legs of birds, mouthparts of insects, especially mosquito, butterfly and moth.)

– Protection and defence (stick insects, praying mantis and toad).

– Securing mates (redhead male and female Agama lizards, display of feathers by birds).

– Regulating body temperature (skin, feathers and hairs)

-Conserving water (spines in plants and scales in mammals).

1. Internal structure of plants and animals

a. Internal structure of a flowering plant
i. Root
ii. Stem
iii. Leaf
b. Internal structure of a mammal

i. identify the transverse sections of these
organs.

ii. relate the structure of these organs to their functions.

iii. identify supporting tissues in plants (collenchyma) sclerenchyma, xylem and phloem fibres)

iv. describe the distribution of supporting tissues in roots, stem and leaf

v. examine the arrangement of the mammalian internal organs.

vi. describe the appearance and position of the digestive, reproductive and excretory organs.

c. Plant nutrition
i. Photosynthesis
ii. Chemosynthesis
iii. Mineral requirements
(macro and micro-nutrients)

d. Animal nutrition
i. Classes of food substances; carbohydrates, proteins,
fats and oils, vitamins, mineral salts and water
ii. Food tests (e.g. starch, reducing sugar, protein, oil, fat etc.)
iii. The mammalian tooth (structures, types and functions)
iv. Mammalian alimentary canal
v. Nutrition process (ingestion, digestion, absorption,
and assimilation of digested food).

iii. identify supporting tissues in plants (collenchyma) sclerenchyma, xylem and phloem fibres)

iv. describe the distribution of supporting tissues in roots, stem and leaf

v. examine the arrangement of the mammalian internal organs.

vi. describe the appearance and position of the digestive, reproductive and excretory organs.