The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, has decided to return to the previous rule of allowing students as young as 16 years to apply for admission into universities and other tertiary institutions.
This change came after protests from various stakeholders during a Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) policy meeting in Abuja on Thursday.
Stakeholders, including Vice Chancellors and Rectors, argued that setting the minimum age at 18 was too high.
They pointed out that many students under 18 had already taken exams, unaware that they would be ineligible under the new rule.
In response to these concerns, Mamman acknowledged the validity of the stakeholders’ arguments and agreed to lower the minimum age to 16 for the 2024 admissions only. After this year, the minimum age will return to 18.
Additionally, Mamman mentioned that the government is considering making 18 years the standard entry age for universities and other tertiary institutions in the future.
This decision marks a reversal from Mamman’s earlier statement in April, where he had proposed 18 years as the minimum age requirement for admission.