The 2024 Joint Admissions Matriculation Board (JAMB) Stake holders policy meeting holding in Abuja welcomed the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, who in his address on Thursday, July 18, 2024 said that henceforth students below the age of 18 years of age would not be eligible for admission into Tertiary institutions in the country.
After the Minister of Education made the statement, there was a chaotic uproar protesting against the statement from the stakeholders who turned out in large numbers for the conference, this led to a rowdy session.
The minister who was interrupted by the uproar and unable to continue had asked the audience; are we together? The audience responded in unison: No!
The minister continued with his address making frantic efforts to explain why the ministry of education took that decision, but the resistance from the stakeholders got more intense. Even the intervention by the JAMB registrar, Prof Isaq Oloyede with pleas of “attention, please”, did not avail much.
However, the Minister succumbed to demands by the stakeholders to revert to the status quo.
The Vice- Chancellor of Elizalde University, Prof. Kayode Thaddeaus Ijiadunola had explained, saying; “what happens to those who have written the year’s exams and passed their examinations? We reject 18 years as the minimum age requirement and are proposing 16 years”.
While majority supported Prof. Ijiadunola’s assertion, the JAMB registrar, said:” The only point is they have taken examination and at that time they were not told or aware and therefore if we want to enforce it, it should be from subsequent years”.
The minister then back pedalled but stated emphatically, that grace will only be allowed for this year alone, there was a resounding applause from the stakeholders for the minister’s decision to allow 16 years old, gain admission this year.
