At the 2024 Policy meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in Abuja on Thursday, Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, issued a directive that only eligible students, those who are 18 years old, be admitted into tertiary institutions starting this year. This announcement received mixed reactions from vice-chancellors, rectors, and registrars present at the meeting.
The minister expressed concern over some parents pressuring their underage children to seek admission into higher education institutions. “JAMB is hereby instructed from this admission cycle to admit only eligible students. That is, those who have attained 18 years by our laws,” Mamman stated.
He emphasized that his directive is supported by Nigerian laws governing admissions into tertiary institutions, noting that it shouldn’t require a ministerial statement to enforce such regulations. “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 from the minister; we are only restating what is in the law,” he added.
Professor Mamman also highlighted that for students who are unable to gain admission into tertiary institutions, the Ministry of Education is integrating skills training into the curriculum starting from primary school.
