Professor Tahir Mamman, the Minister of Education, has said that underage students are responsible for some of the problems being encountered in Nigerian higher institutions. The Federal Government is debating raising the admissions age to 18 for universities and other postsecondary educational institutions.
In order to restrict the age of candidates taking the UTME to 16 years of age and above, the Senate announced plans to change the statute, creating the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board in 2021.
During the Senate Committee on Basic Education’s oversight visit to JAMB, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, who was the vice chairman of the committee at the time, stated that this will stop students who are too young to take the exam from being admitted to Nigerian universities.
This he noted during the ongoing Joint Administration Matriculation Board in Abuja. He further encouraged parents to let their children reach a certain level of maturity and acquire skills before sending them off to university. He hammered on the effects of premature entrance for students aged 15 and 16.
By Chidimma NWAFOR
