Education Minister Prof. Tahir Mamman has decided to revert to the previous rule that allowed 16-year-old students to apply for admission to universities and other tertiary institutions.
The move came after protests by several stakeholders during a policy meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in Abuja on Thursday.
Stakeholders, including vice-chancellors and rectors, argued that setting the minimum age at 18 was too high.
They noted that many students under 18 had already taken exams, unaware that they would not be eligible 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 2024 admissions only. After this year, the minimum age will revert to 18.
In addition, Mamman mentioned that the government It is considering setting the standard age for entry to universities and other tertiary institutions at 18 in the future.
The decision marks a change from Mamman’s previous statement in April, where he had proposed 18 years as the minimum age required for admission.
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