The Federal Government has issued a directive stipulating that candidates below the age of 18 should not be granted admission into tertiary institutions. The announcement came from Minister of Education Tahir Mamman during a monitoring exercise of the ongoing 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in Bwari, Federal Capital Territory.
Minister Mamman expressed concern over the trend of parents pressuring underage students to seek admission into tertiary institutions, emphasizing that the 18-year benchmark aligns with the 6-3-3-4 education system.
He underscored the need to discourage undue pressure from parents, noting that many candidates lack the maturity to fully comprehend the university experience at a young age.
In response to the challenge of admission, Minister Mamman highlighted the ministry’s efforts to promote skills acquisition from primary school level for students who may not secure admission into tertiary institutions.
JAMB spokesperson Fabian Benjamin echoed the Minister’s stance, emphasizing that the 18-year benchmark aligns with the educational framework.
Minister of State for Education Yusuf Sununu, part of the monitoring team, praised the conduct of the 2024 UTME and lauded the introduction of online examinations as a measure to combat malpractice. He commended the board for maintaining high standards while simplifying the examination process.
