In a significant development, the Federal Government has adjusted the minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions to 16 years, effective from the 2024 academic year. This change follows a contentious meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), where stakeholders expressed strong opposition to an earlier announcement by the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, who had declared that only candidates aged 18 and above would be eligible for admission.
The annual JAMB policy meeting, which brings together representatives from various tertiary institutions, is crucial for determining the cut-off marks and setting guidelines for the year’s admission process. This year’s meeting became heated after Prof. Mamman’s announcement, leading to a vocal protest from attendees.
Attempting to address the uproar, the Minister asked the audience if they were in agreement with his proposal, only to receive a resounding “No” in response. The intervention of JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, was necessary to restore order to the proceedings.
Prof. Mamman argued that the current educational structure requires students to be 18 by the time they complete their secondary education, after six years in primary school, three years in junior secondary, and three years in senior secondary school. However, in response to the strong opposition, he agreed to the stakeholders’ suggestion to maintain the minimum age of 16 for this year’s admissions, with plans to implement the new age requirement in subsequent years.
The Minister emphasized that the Federal Ministry of Education’s position remains firm on the use of the Central Application Process (CAP) for admissions, ensuring fairness and transparency in the process. Institutions are warned against conducting admissions outside of this standardized procedure.
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