By Marvellous Nyang
Nigeria’s Education Minister, Prof. Tahir Mamman, has reverted the minimum admission age for tertiary institutions back to 16 years, following intense backlash against his initial decision to raise it to 18.
Prof. Mamman’s announcement to increase the minimum admission age to 18 was met with significant opposition from various education stakeholders. Critics argued that the abrupt change would disadvantage students who had already completed the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and were awaiting admission.
The debate reached a climax during the 2024 policy meeting organised by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in Abuja. Key figures, including JAMB Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, vice-chancellors, and registrars, voiced strong objections to the proposed age increase.
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Prof. Kayode Ijiadunola led the opposition, advocating for the retention of 16 as the minimum age. “What happens to those who have written this year’s exams and passed their exams? We reject 18 years as the minimum age requirement and are proposing 16 years,” he argued.
Prof. Oloyede supported this stance, highlighting that students were not informed of the new age requirement before their exams. “If we want to enforce it, it should be from subsequent years,” he stated.
In response to these concerns, Prof. Mamman agreed to maintain the 16-year age requirement for the current admission cycle but confirmed that the 18-year policy would be enforced from the next academic year.
The decision underscores the government’s ability to adapt policies in response to practical challenges while balancing long-term objectives.
