Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, has indicated that the federal government is considering reviewing the age requirement for admission into tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
Prof. Mamman, who set the benchmark age for university admission at 18 years, advised parents against pushing their underage children into higher education, especially university education, before the age of 18.
He made these remarks while speaking to journalists after monitoring the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) at some centers in Abuja.
Expressing concern over the age of some UTME candidates, Prof. Mamman noted that some candidates were below the required age for admission into universities.
He commended the conduct of the examination, describing it as peaceful and highlighting a significant reduction in visible irregularities compared to the past.
Regarding the age of candidates, Prof. Mamman stated, “The other thing which we noticed is the age of those who have applied to go to the university. Some of them are really too young. We are going to look at it because they are too young to understand what university education is all about.”
He emphasized the importance of the age of admission, stating, “That’s the stage when students migrate from a controlled environment where they are in charge of their own affairs. So if they are too young, they won’t be able to manage properly. That accounts for some of the problems we are seeing in the universities.”
He also hinted at a review of the age requirement, saying, “We are going to look at that. 18 is the entry age for the university. But you will see students, 15, 16, going to the examination. It is not good for us. Parents should be encouraged not to push their wards, children too much.”
Additionally, Prof. Mamman mentioned that beneficiaries of the federal government student loan would include both higher education and skill acquisition.
He emphasized the importance of ensuring that students who are unable to proceed to tertiary education have a meaningful life after secondary school.
He mentioned that about 20 percent of registered candidates would gain admission to universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
When asked about the fate of the remaining 80 percent of candidates, he explained, “They are our children, our wards living with us.
This is why the issue of skills acquisition is very important because any student who is not able to proceed to tertiary education should be able to have a meaningful life even after secondary school, even primary education actually.”
Prof. Mamman further stressed the importance of skills acquisition, stating, “The only solution to that is skills; by teaching skills right from the time they enter school, starting from primary school. Somebody should finish with one skill or another. That is part of the assumption of the 6-3-3-4 system.”
He concluded by highlighting the government’s commitment to providing access to education through the Student Loan Scheme. He said, “Tertiary education is encouraged but not every child needs to go to the university or polytechnic.
It is mandatory, and the government is in support. There is a constitutional requirement to educate every Nigerian child up to that level of education. But with the introduction of the Student Loan Scheme, access will not be a problem.”
