The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, revealed on Monday that the Federal Government is contemplating setting 18 years as the minimum entry age for admission into universities and other tertiary institutions. Mamman attributed some challenges faced in higher institutions to underage students and emphasized the need for maturity before pursuing tertiary education.
In an interview with The PUNCH, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, the President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), expressed support for the proposal, citing it as a step in the right direction. He underscored the importance of adhering to age benchmarks and the role of regulators in enforcing such standards.
The current standard admission age set by most tertiary institutions in Nigeria is 16 years, except for candidates certified as gifted. The Senate had previously considered amending the law establishing the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to limit the age of candidates sitting the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to 16 years and above.
Mamman cautioned parents against pushing their children and wards too early into higher education, stressing the importance of allowing them to attain a certain level of maturity for effective self-management. He commended JAMB for the ongoing UTME, noting the minimal cases of examination malpractice, which he attributed to the adoption of technology in the examination process.
The ongoing UTME, which commenced on Friday, April 19, and will conclude on Monday, April 29, has attracted approximately 1,985,642 candidates. Dr. Tanko Sununu, the Minister of State for Education, praised JAMB’s management for the exam’s high level of objectivity and reliability, highlighting its conduct even in other countries like Saudi Arabia.
