Minister Imposes Age Limit on University Admissions

 

Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman

The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, has announced that starting next year, candidates under the age of 18 will no longer be eligible to take the Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination. 

He made this announcement during an interview with Channels TV on Sunday in Abuja, stating that the minimum age for university admission in Nigeria, according to the country's education policy, is 18 years.

The Minister clarified that students under 18 will be allowed to take the JAMB exam this year as a notice to parents before the changes take effect. "The minimum age remains 18. This year’s JAMB will admit students below 18, but starting next year, only those who meet the age requirement will be eligible," Mamman said. 

He emphasized that this is not a new policy but one that has been in place for a long time. The expected number of years a student spends in school, from daycare through secondary school, is approximately 17 and a half years, aligning with the age requirement for university admission.

Additionally, Mamman stated that students who have not completed the required number of years in school will not be permitted to take the National Examinations Council (NECO) or West African Examination Council (WAEC) exams. He stressed that the focus is on the number of years spent in education rather than the age of the students.

"We are not introducing new policies; we are simply reinforcing existing ones. NECO and WAEC will not allow students who haven't spent the required years in school to take their exams," Mamman explained.

Regarding exceptionally bright students, the Minister acknowledged the possibility of creating opportunities for those who demonstrate exceptional intelligence, as is done in other countries. 

However, he noted the challenge in Nigeria, where such opportunities might be exploited by a larger group of students seeking admission to higher institutions. 

This is what we have at the moment, but it's important to consider how we can accommodate our smart children. Other countries have similar age specifications for education levels, but they also make exceptions for gifted students," Mamman added.