Tertiary Institutions: Stakeholders Protest As Federal Gov’t Bans Under 18 Candidates

The decision by the federal government to prohibit admissions for individuals under 18 age has sparked protest among stakeholders in the education sector at the ongoing 2024 Policy Meeting on admissions into tertiary institutions.

The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, had announced a ban on admissions for candidates under the age of 18 into tertiary institutions in the country while speaking at the meeting on Thursday.

The Minister had cited potential detrimental effects on both students’ academic prospects and institutional operations of admitting underage students.

However, the announcement has prompted fierce opposition from education stakeholders, causing a murmuring as the Minister waited to continue his address.

Mamman announced during the 2024 policy meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) thus; “JAMB is hereby notified that there is now a ban on underaged students from this 2024 admissions,” Mamman said.

The minister said the Federal Government was considering the adoption of 18 years as the entry age for admission into universities and other tertiary institutions of learning.