THE  Federal Government recently reversed its decision to set the minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions from 16 to 18 years.The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, announced the new age benchmark during his inaugural media briefing held in Abuja.

EXPLAINING the rationale behind the initial decision, the Minister noted that it was based on the structure of the National Policy on Education. He added that the Federal Government would soon unveil a comprehensive blueprint for the education sector. The sacked Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, had in July announced the 18-year admission benchmark during the 2024 Policy Meeting on Admissions, organized by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). Prof. Mamman justified the policy by stating that the law requires students to complete six years in primary school, three years in junior secondary school, and three years in senior secondary school, reaching 18 years of age before tertiary admission.

WHILE a few agreed with the policy, the majority expressed disappointment. Those who supported the policy argued that setting 18 years as the minimum age would address issues related to underage students in tertiary institutions. They added that it was important for students to complete the standard educational progression, as outlined in the 6-3-3-4 system. Skipping classes, they noted, can negatively impact a student’s academic development and readiness for higher education.

ON the other hand, critics of the policy argued that 18 years was too high and impractical, especially since many candidates under 18 had already taken admission examinations. They warned that enforcing the age limit would force students to remain idle for two to three years, as they had not been informed earlier about the change.

SOME stakeholders emphasized that maturity is a gradual process. They pointed out that even at 18, students still have much to learn and that some exceptional students worldwide, including in Nigeria, have entered university between the ages of nine and 15. Critics also expressed concerns that the policy could lead to a loss of confidence in Nigeria’s educational system. Many parents might opt to send their children abroad for higher education, further contributing to capital flight and placing an additional financial burden on families.

EDUCATION  is one of the most powerful tools for national development. It acts as a driving force for economic growth, social progress and political stability. It plays a pivotal role in nation-building as it contributes significantly to all round development of a country. It is considered a cornerstone of progress and a means to foster a cohesive  and unified society. Hence, no nation can develop above the level of its education.

GIVEN  this, we believe that age should not be an impeding factor to our educational development or a yardstick to measure maturity, so as not to jeopardise the future of our gifted children. The true determinant of maturity is not age but mindset, emotional intelligence and ability to navigate one’s environment with its challenges. After all, we have the so-called matured minds who cannot fit-in with the demands of the changing word where the underaged are serving.

NO doubt, the age restriction policy will be detrimental to the Federal Government’s plan to reduce the rising number of out-of-school children in the country.

NIGERIA’S out-of-school children’s population is alarming at over 20 million. Available statistics show that one out of three children in Nigeria is out of school. In primary school, 10.2 million children are outside the school system; in junior secondary school, 8.1 million children are out of school; 12.4 million children never attended school, while 5.9 million children left school early due to various factors.

USING age to judge who gets admitted is baseless because WASSCE is purely an academic issue. If the underaged are being celebrated in other countries for excelling in their different academic pursuits, why is it not possible in Nigeria that is struggling to compete with other countries in this regard?

IF other societal norms are forcing underaged into adulthood, why not education that will help to correct the abnormally?

THE HOPE commends the Minister of Education for listening to the voice of reason by reversing the archaic policy of 18 years age limit which would have further dealt a destructive blow to the already comatose educational system in the county.

HOWEVER, The  Hope urges that more reforms are needed to make Nigeria’s education work. Nigeria’s university system must go beyond setting admission age limits to repositioning the entire system.  There is need to urgently address some of the challenges facing the sector which include inadequate funding, infrastructural deficits, poor remuneration of staff, insecurity, insufficient research and development, the proliferation of illegal degree-awarding institutions, and weak regulatory frameworks, among other challenges.

THE HOPE appeals to educational policymakers to prioritize restoring Nigeria’s old academic system. We equally urge critical stakeholders in the educational sector to understand that there is no uniform age for maturity as age restrictions could be detrimental to our educational growth.