The National Assembly has also pledged to introduce comprehensive legislation to reinforce this proposed age limit for tertiary education admissions. During a monitoring session of the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) in Abuja, Senator Muntari Dandutse, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, emphasized the importance of adhering to the age limit of 18 years for admission.
Accompanied by fellow committee members and counterparts from the Committee on Higher Education in the House of Representatives, Senator Dandutse stressed that age should not be a hindrance to accessing tertiary education. He affirmed that the age limit proposed by the Minister of Education should be upheld without compromise.
Senator Sunday Karimi, representing Kogi West, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the existence of a law mandating admission to be granted to candidates who are 18 years old. He emphasized the need to amend and strengthen this law in light of current circumstances.
Senator Karimi emphasized that while age should not be a barrier to education, there must be an age limit for admission. He stated that individuals cannot be as young as 12, 13, or 14 years old and expect to enter university. Just as there are age requirements for primary and secondary education, he argued that an age limit of 18 years is reasonable for university admission.
The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, had previously issued a directive that admission into tertiary institutions should not be granted to candidates below the age of 18. He expressed concern over the pressure exerted by some parents on their underage children to secure admission into tertiary institutions.
The National Assembly emphasized that the 18-year benchmark aligns with the 6-3-3-4 system of education, which is the prevailing educational framework in the country. The aim is to ensure that students have the necessary maturity and readiness for higher education before enrolling in tertiary institutions.
