The National Parent-Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) has lauded the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for extending 16 years university admission age limit to 2025.
JAMB had on Thursday said that universities and other tertiary education institutions nationwide could enroll students who would be 16 years old by August 31, 2025.
In July, the Federal Ministry of Education introduced a policy, adopting 18 years as the minimum age for tertiary institution admissions.
According to the ministry, the policy, which is to take effect in 2025, will ensure that candidates are mature enough to deal with the rigours of tertiary education.
However, on Thursday, JAMB said it had taken cognizance that due to different reasons, some institutions expected the 2024/2025 admission to run through July 2025.
“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,” JAMB said in a statement.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday, Mr Adeolu Ogunbanjo, Deputy National President of NAPTAN, described JAMB’s decision as a welcome development.
Ogunbanjo said, “The hanging hope of our secondary school graduates is now restored, and they will aspire to move to next level.
`’ It will equally be good for the government to also reconsider a lot of things surrounding education in Nigeria.
“We have to move with current situations. Things keep changing.
“Again, we are appreciating JAMB for doing this but it looks temporary.”
He said that JAMB and other stakeholders should leave minimum university entry age at 16 years.
“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 to avoid unnecessary disruption,” he said.
The NAPTAN official also advised students to prove themselves worthy to gain university admission at 16 years by doing well academically, morally and in other areas. (NAN)
