FG Considers 16-Year-Olds for Admission, Reverses Ban on Under-18 Admission for Tertiary Institutions
The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, has reversed the initial ban on underage admissions, responding to protests by stakeholders during the ongoing 2024 policy meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Examination (JAMB). The JAMB management has affirmed that candidates who are 16 years old will still be considered for admissions into tertiary institutions for the 2024 academic year. However, the entry age will be adjusted to 18 years starting from the subsequent academic year.
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The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, has reversed the initial ban on underage admissions, responding to protests by stakeholders during the ongoing 2024 policy meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Examination (JAMB). However, the revised policy will take effect starting from the next academic year.
The contentious issue centered around the minimum admission age of 18 years. Stakeholders expressed concerns, prompting consultations among education authorities. JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, clarified the decision, stating, “At the time candidates were taking the examinations, they were not aware of the new age requirement. Therefore, if we want to enforce it, it should apply to subsequent years.”
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In light of these discussions, the Minister acknowledged that the ban would be temporarily set aside for the 2024 admissions cycle. He emphasized that enrolling underage candidates had adverse effects on universities and the education system, necessitating the enforcement of existing rules.
Prof. Mamman had previously justified the ban, saying, “During the just-concluded 2024 UTME, I was alarmed by the participation of a large number of obviously underage candidates. This compelled me to emphasize the need to enforce the existing provisions of educational policies, which require nine years of basic education and three years of Senior Secondary Education before entry into tertiary institutions.”
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The JAMB management has affirmed that candidates who are 16 years old will still be considered for admissions into tertiary institutions for the 2024 academic year. However, the entry age will be adjusted to 18 years starting from the subsequent academic year.
