In a surprising turn of events, the Federal Government has reversed its earlier decision to ban admission seekers under the age of 18 from entering tertiary institutions. This development came after strong protests from Vice Chancellors and other stakeholders at the 2024 Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) policy meeting in Abuja on Thursday.
Initially, Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, had announced that candidates below 18 years would no longer be granted admission to tertiary institutions in Nigeria, citing the country’s law that prohibits the admission of underage students. However, following intense pressure from stakeholders, the government has agreed to allow 16-year-old candidates to gain admission into tertiary institutions for the 2024 academic year.
Children under 18 or sixteen are termed gifted children. They are basically children who possess exceptional natural ability or talent, typically in a specific domain such as mathematics, language, or music. In other countries, gifted children can enter university at a younger age, such as 16-17 or below in very exceptional cases, with special consideration or accelerated programs.
However, Nigeria’s education system follows the 6-3-3-4 policy, which consists of six years of primary school, three years of junior secondary school, three years of senior secondary school, and four years of tertiary education. Stakeholders suggest that the government should diligently implement this policy and allow it to run for a couple of years to enable proper gestation before implementing the age cap.
While the government has reversed its decision, the policy change has sparked discussion about the admission age requirements and their implications.
The entry age will be raised to 18 years from the next academic year, according to the government’s statement. Parents and guardians are urged to resist the temptation of falsifying their children’s or ward’s age details in an attempt to beat the policy. Falsifying age details can have negative impacts on the future of the child, including emotional and psychological distress, social challenges, and difficulties in career advancement.
Priority should be given to the wellbeing and proper development of our children. This is crucial for their future success and happiness.
