UPDATED: FG reverses 18-year age limit for varsity admission

Dr. Tunji Alausa, the minister of education, declared that the 16-year requirement for entrance to tertiary institutions still stands.

Speaking at his first briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, Alausa was joined by Permanent Secretary Dr. Nasiru Sani-Gwarzo and Education Minister Dr. Suwaiba Ahmad.

The previous Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, had set the 18-year admittance criteria for postsecondary institutions; the Minister’s announcement overturned that decision.

At the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board’s (JAMB) 2024 Policy Meeting on Admissions, Prof. Mamman made the announcement.

Exam Scholars CBT App is a comprehensive study tool designed to help students prepare for their exams using computer-based testing. With a user-friendly interface and a wide range of practice questions, the Exam Scholars CBT App allows students to simulate the exam experience and track their progress effectively

Vice-chancellors, rectors, provosts, and other heads of tertiary institutions strongly opposed the decision, indicating that it was not well received by stakeholders.

The former Minister, however, changed his mind about enforcing the age limit for 2024 admission after observing the sentiment of the stakeholders during the discussion. He insisted that the 18-year-old age limit would be applied starting with the 2025 admission.

However, according to Alausa, that first choice was influenced by the National Policy on Education’s design.
The 18-year-old was not “part of our policy again,” the Minister continued.

Dr. Tunji Alausa, the minister of education, declared that the 16-year requirement for entrance to tertiary institutions still stands.

Exam Scholars CBT App is a comprehensive study tool designed to help students prepare for their exams using computer-based testing. With a user-friendly interface and a wide range of practice questions, the Exam Scholars CBT App allows students to simulate the exam experience and track their progress effectively

Speaking at his first briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, Alausa was joined by Permanent Secretary Dr. Nasiru Sani-Gwarzo and Education Minister Dr. Suwaiba Ahmad.
The previous Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, had set the 18-year admittance criteria for tertiary institutions; the Minister’s announcement overturned that decision.
At the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board’s (JAMB) 2024 Policy Meeting on Admissions, Prof. Mamman made the announcement.

The heads of tertiary institutions, including provosts, rectors, and vice chancellors, strongly opposed the decision, indicating that it was not well received by stakeholders.

However, the former Minister retracted the 2024 entrance age limit, stating that the 18-year-old age limit would be implemented starting with the 2025 admission, after seeing the sentiment of the stakeholders at the conference.
Nonetheless, Alausa claimed that the National Policy on Education’s design was the primary factor in that first choice.

Additionally, the 18-year-old was not “part of our policy again,” the Minister said.

Related Articles

ASUU differs as FG drops IPPIS payment for tertiary institutions

Out of four months, NASU/SSANU one month’s salary Paid – Olushola

President Tinubu Assigns Research Tasks to Universities for National Development

The FG says we’re close to dealing with SSANU and NASU.

Strike: Universities in the country are closed by SSANU and NASU

JAMB extends Under 16 admission deadline to August 2025