Admission: JAMB Determines Fate of Candidates Below 18 Yrs – Details.
Federal Government of Nigeria has reportedly directed Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) that admission to tertiary institutions should not be given to candidates under 18 years old.
Mister Tahir Mamman, the Minister of Education, issued out the instruction in Abuja on Thursday at the 2024 Policy meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
Thenewskingdom gathered that the announcement elicited mixed reactions from vice-chancellors, rectors and registrars present at the meeting. The minister affirmed the activities of some parents, who are pressuring their underage wards to get admission into tertiary institutions.
Mamman said that the 18-year benchmark is in line with the 6-3-3-4 system of education.
“JAMB is hereby instructed from admission this year to admit only eligible students. That is those who have attained 18 years by our laws,” the minister stated.
The Minister insisted that his position was backed by Nigeria’s law guiding admissions into tertiary institutions. He said it shouldn’t require a statement from him for that to be taken into consideration by admission bodies.
“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.
Additionally, Prof. Mamman said that for those who will not be able to secure admission into tertiary institutions, the Ministry of Education is taking skills to pupils from primary school.
