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“Misplaced priority”: Nigerians react as FG bans admission for under-18 candidates

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Source: Premium TimesFG bans admission for under-18 candidates
  • The Minister of Education announced a ban on admission for candidates under 18 years of age
  • Stakeholders protested and the minister agreed that the ban will be enforced in 2025
  • Nigerians, reacting to the ban believe it is an effort by the government to further frustrate citizens


The federal government has announced a ban on admission for underaged candidates into tertiary institutions in Nigeria. 

The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman made the announcement on Thursday during the 2024 policy meeting on Admissions to tertiary institutions organised by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, (JAMB). 

The minister directed JAMB to ensure only candidates above the age of 18 are admitted into tertiary institutions. 

He said: “Information has revealed that the enrolment of underage candidates is inflicting serious damage on the university and the education system, hence, the need for enforcement of extant rules.

“When I was monitoring the just concluded 2024 UTME, I was alarmed at the participation of a large number of obviously under-age candidates in the examination.

This necessitated my comment on the need to enforce the extant provisions of the educational policies which made provision for nine years of basic education and three years of Senior Secondary Education before entry into tertiary institution.

“It is clear that a child who, as expected, is enrolled in basic school at the age of six and having undergone 12 years of education would be around 18 years old when being enrolled in a tertiary institution.”

“JAMB is hereby notified that there is now a ban on underaged students, those under the age of 18 into our tertiary institutions from this 2024 admissions.” 

Some stakeholders at the meeting kicked against it and the registrar of JAMB made it known to the minister that such a policy should not be implemented after the candidates for the year 2024 had written their admission exams.

The minister then said the decision stands but will be enforced from 2025 and only candidates above the age of 16 will be admitted in 2024.


Nigerians react to the news

After this news broke out, some Nigerians took to social media to express their opinion on the ban. Some people supported the idea while others thought it a backward decision. 


Here are some of the comments.

@DamilareOdulesi posted: “How would this make the economy better? 

So, if a student makes his WAEC and JAMB at 17, he should wait till next year? Do they know how devastating this could be on some brilliant students? Are their children schooling here? Why are they trying to deny Nigerian students from competing with their mates in other Western countries? Education has a lot to do with age. It's better gotten at younger ages than later. FG is killing education.”

@FknFootball posted: “Ok, learn skills before 18 then go to school and learn the academic side of the skill you acquired.”

@escapefromnaija posted: “Child marriage approved, underage admission prohibited. The road to redemption is long.”

@Nwafresh posted: “After all, their kids who are under 18 won't be affected because they'll be schooling abroad.”

@Shile_matrix posted: “And some govt and private jobs that put age limited as 25 for application should review their conditions.”

@Karigwe posted: “Other countries are trying hard to make their children break records as the youngest in their fields, Nigeria is trying so hard to delay the destiny of their own children.”

@Udoka_AM posted: “Exactly! Too many underaged tertiary institution students have been the major cause of inflation our economic crisis! Great move to restore Nigeria! Renewed Hope.”

@EriBigeria posted: “Very good. I enter Uniport recently and it was looking like Kindergarten… you do this one boss @Tinubu 3 gbosa and 4 more years for you.”

@PureMinD__ posted: “White collar jobs are waiting for them to have Graduated unit and finished NYSC at 24. Congratulations to everyone involved.”

@uchedible posted: “Misplaced priority in a country where state-sponsored underage marriages and discrimination in government appointments, scholarships, and public institution admissions still exist. This policy blocks young, talented students from pursuing higher education and fails to address the real issues of improving educational quality and ensuring a fair, merit-based system.”


Mamman, Melaye, 3 other Nigerian politicians who have collapsed in face of corruption allegations


Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported collapsing in the face of probing and accountability by politicians has become quite notable in Nigeria. 

Recently, precisely on Thursday, July 11, the ex-minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, who served under the immediate past President, Muhammadu Buhari, collapsed at the Federal High Court in Abuja during his arraignment for an alleged N33 billion fraud.


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Funmilayo Aremu-Olayemi Admin

Funmilayo Aremu-Olayemi is a reporter with over four years of experience. She covers a wide range of beats, such as health, lifestyle, and human-angle stories. Her work has been published in the Nigerian Tribune and Elegantz Magazine, USA.

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