By Babatunde Ayedoju

Education stakeholders have emphasised that  admitting exceptional underage students into higher institutions should not be discouraged, despite revelation by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) that only 467 out of 40,247 (1.16 percent) of such candidates performed exceptionally at the just concluded Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

Recall that the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, recently reversed the acceptable age for admission into higher institutions to 16 years, emphasising that candidates below that age would not be eligible for admission, although exceptions would be made for academically gifted students.

JAMB has also clarified that underage candidates (below age 16) might be considered for admission if they showed academic excellence by scoring at least 80 percent in the UTME.

This position by JAMB followed the reversal of the mandatory 18-year age benchmark previously introduced by former Education Minister, Prof. Tahir Mamman, a move widely hailed by education stakeholders.

Speaking with The Hope during the week, Dr (Mrs.) Kemi Adebola, a university lecturer and parent, said that despite the performance of underage candidates at the last UTME, there is still nothing wrong with admitting them into higher institutions, saying that several factors affect examination success.

She said, “I work in the university community and I have taught students not up to 16 years of age who performed excellently beyond measure. I have even had to talk to some of them.

“Failure in an exam like this, I insist, is a function of too many factors, such as the curriculum, the exam settings and timings, technical hitches and power failure.”

Mr Odun Ofere, a secondary school teacher, noted that despite the reported performance of underage candidates at the just concluded UTME, nothing stops a child as young as 16 from proceeding to a higher institution, if the student is mature enough.

While saying that maturity goes beyond age, Ofere pointed out that there are students  above age 20 who may not be able to handle themselves on the campus, adding that how a child has been raised matters.

His words: “Age is just a number. If you want to hang on the fact that only 1.6 percent of underage candidates performed exceptionally, how many of those who are 19 and above passed well by merit?

“To the parents, our children who are 16 years old or thereabout, how well can they face life? Can we allow them face some life challenges without our input? If no, then even at 24 they will still not be  ripe enough to gain admission.”

Similarly, Mr Gideon Ekujumi, a school teacher, said that since the entrance age into secondary school is 10 years, nothing should stop a 16 year old from sitting for UTME or being considered for admission into higher institutions.

While saying that there is no programme to engage the underage students for the next two years, Ekujumi advised those who performed poorly to continue keep trying until they pass, insisting that age should not be a yardstick for admission.

On the other hand, Dr (Mrs.) Omolara Fashina, a proprietress, stressed that intelligence is beyond good academic performance, adding that a lot of underage students fail to cope when they get to higher institutions.

Her words: “A lot of when turn out to be immature when they get to the university. Scoring a high mark does not mean they are ready for university education and all the challenges.”