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Revisiting a previously established regulation, the Federal Government has rescinded its directive that required students to be at least 18 years old to qualify for admission into tertiary institutions, following considerable feedback from the public and academic communities.
Tunji Alausa, who recently took office as Minister of Education, addressed the media in Abuja on Tuesday, confirming the government’s decision to reverse the previously mandated 18-year minimum age for entry into higher education.
The minister’s first press conference allowed him to introduce his proposed reforms, with the most notable being the decision to overturn the 18-year age requirement for tertiary institution admissions, a move that dominated the discussions.
The minister said, “We will work with JAMB and our universities to ensure that people that are matriculating into our universities will arrive at 16 years.
Read also: FG Defends Their Ban On Under-18 Students Writing SSCE
“So, we will not be going with the 18 years; we will go back to what we have before which is 16 years.”
The Eastern Updates recalls that in July, the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, had announced that starting from 2025, candidates below 18 years old will not be allowed to sit for SSCE.
The policy after being announced had sparked controversy, with many parents and stakeholders criticising the move as restrictive and unfair.
