Nigerian Government makes U-turn, asks Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, institutions to admit candidates from 16 years

The Nigerian Government has granted approval for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and Nigerian tertiary institutions to admit candidates from the age of 16, and this comes to counter earlier order directing institutions not to admit candidates below the age of 18.

Penpushing reports that the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman gave the approval following objections and pleas by heads of tertiary institutions present at the policy meeting on the 2024 admission organised by Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) and held on Thursday in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

“JAMB is hereby instructed from admission this year to admit only eligible students. That is those who have attained 18 years by our laws. Our laws require students to be in school from six years —Yes, there are those who do that from five—, and remain in primary school for six years, basic education for three years, and secondary school for three years… It doesn’t require a statement of the minister… we are only restating what is in the law,” he added.

Penpushing further reports that the minister’s comments drew loud grumbles from the audience consisting mainly of heads of tertiary institutions, registrars, and their admission officers, however, he explained that it was a matter of law and policies, adding it does not require his comments as it was a provision of Nigeria’s policy on education.

The Minister, however, bowed to pressure as heated arguments ensued over his directive on underage admissions, while considering the memorandum for the 2024 policy meeting on this year’s admissions, while the representative of Elizade University moved the motion for objection.

Penpushing also reports that he called for the adoption of 16 years as many of those categorised underage candidates have already taken the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) without anticipating the directive.

The Registrar of the Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) Prof Is-haq Oloyede, who convened the meeting explained that it was not a new policy or directive., while the minister, however, agreed that candidates from the age of 16 be admitted and the meeting approved it.

Penpushing reports that the policy meeting is a forum for critical stakeholders in the admission processes into tertiary institutions in the country, including university vice-chancellors and registrars, rectors and registrars of polytechnics, provosts and registrars of colleges of education, the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) registrar and other officials of the examination body, and principal officers of monotechnics.

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