FG Pegs Varsity Admission At 18 Years

By Stephen Asaba-ase

Education Minister, Professor Tahir Mamman, Mandates JAMB and Tertiary Institutions to Admit Only Candidates Aged 18 and Above

In his address at the 2024 Policy Meeting on Admissions into Tertiary Institutions in Abuja, Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, directed the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and all Nigerian tertiary institutions to only admit candidates who have reached a minimum age of 18 years. This directive was met with murmurs of disapproval from the audience.

The minister emphasized that JAMB is instructed to admit only eligible students, defined as those who have attained 18 years of age, in accordance with Nigerian law. He reaffirmed his stance, citing the legal framework governing admissions into tertiary institutions in the country.

The policy meeting brought together key stakeholders, including university vice-chancellors and registrars, polytechnic rectors and registrars, college of education provosts and registrars, the JAMB registrar, and other examination officials, to discuss admission processes into tertiary institutions.