Lagos, Oct. 18, 2024 (NAN) – The National Parent-Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) has expressed its appreciation to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for its recent decision to extend the university admission age limit, allowing students who will turn 16 by August 31, 2025, to enroll in tertiary institutions across the country.
In a statement issued on Thursday, JAMB confirmed that universities and other higher education institutions can now accept candidates who meet this age criterion for the 2024/2025 academic year, provided they fulfill the specific admission requirements set by each institution.
This decision comes on the heels of a July announcement from the Federal Ministry of Education, which established 18 years as the minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions, effective from 2025. The ministry’s policy aims to ensure that candidates possess the maturity necessary to navigate the challenges of higher education.
Recognition of Diverse Admission Timelines
Acknowledging the varying admission timelines among different institutions, JAMB explained, “Without compromising the standard or infringing on the individual institution’s admission policy, the board has now decided to allow any willing institution to admit candidates who will be 16 years old by the 31st of August 2025.”
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday, Mr. Adeolu Ogunbanjo, Deputy National President of NAPTAN, welcomed this development, stating, “The hanging hope of our secondary school graduates is now restored, and they will aspire to move to the next level.”
Ogunbanjo further urged the government to reconsider various educational policies in Nigeria to align with current realities. “We have to move with current situations. Things keep changing. Again, we are appreciating JAMB for doing this, but it looks temporary,” he remarked.
Advocating for a Permanent Solution
The NAPTAN official recommended that JAMB and other educational policymakers maintain the minimum university entry age at 16 years to avoid unnecessary disruptions in the admission process. “I recommend that JAMB and other education policymakers should leave the minimum age to get into university and other tertiary education institutions at 16 years,” he said.
Ogunbanjo also advised students aspiring for university admission at 16 to demonstrate their readiness through academic excellence and moral integrity. “Students must prove themselves worthy to gain university admission by excelling academically, morally, and in other areas,” he added.
Background Context
The development follows earlier discussions at the 2024 Policy Meeting, where the minimum age for admission in tertiary institutions was deliberated and set for 16 years for the 2024/2025 academic session, with a deadline of December 31, 2024.
While this announcement has sparked diverse opinions among parents and stakeholders, JAMB’s Public Relations Officer, Fabian Benjamin, clarified that the extension aims to ensure fairness for candidates whose admission periods extend to August 2025. “This effort is to ensure equity because those whose 2024 admission would last till August 2025 would not be unduly favored. Any institution that insists on its 16 years being within the year 2024 is completely free to do so,” he stated.(NAN)
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