Stakeholders demand flexibility in implementation of 16-year age admission policy

Stakeholders in the education sector have called on the Federal Government and relevant authorities to adopt a more flexible approach in the implementation of the 16-year minimum age policy for admission into tertiary institutions.

The stakeholders, who spoke with our correspondent on Friday in Abakaliki, said the policy had triggered public backlash and required urgent review.

They noted that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) had come under intense criticism from parents, candidates, and education experts following the enforcement of the policy.

Our correspondent reports that the policy bars candidates below 16 years from securing admission into tertiary institutions.

The policy, introduced by the federal government, has left hundreds of candidates unable to access their 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results, sparking mixed reactions.

A parent, Mr Francis Unoke, described the development as “a betrayal of trust,” questioning why underaged candidates were allowed to register in the first place.

“After investing money to purchase the UTME form and seeing my son go through the stress of preparing for and passing the exam; he is now being denied admission just because he is underaged.

“My son will turn 16 on October 21. Since he was allowed to register and sit for the examination, why can’t he be allowed to process his admission?” Unoke queried.

Dr Chris Igwe, an expert in Educational Measurement and Evaluation, said the policy lacked nuance and called for flexibility in its enforcement.

“A few months’ difference should not be the reason for denying admission. Candidates who will attain 16 years on or before December 31 should not be excluded,” he said.

Similarly, Dr Ifeanyi Opara, a university lecturer, faulted JAMB’s registration system for failing to flag underaged candidates during registration.

“If JAMB planned strict enforcement, why didn’t its portal reject entries from underaged candidates? Policies should not slam doors in the faces of enthusiastic learners,” he said.

Mrs Eunice Okey, a member of the National Parents Teachers Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN), Ebonyi branch, also urged JAMB to be more considerate.

“Many of the affected candidates registered, wrote the exam, and performed well, only to be denied access to their results because of age.

“This kind of abrupt implementation is unfair and may affect thousands. I appeal to the Federal Government and JAMB to reconsider,” she said.

A 15-year-old candidate, Miss Faith Obaji, who passed the UTME, also expressed disappointment over her disqualification.

“I’ll be 16 by November 22. Why can’t JAMB use December 31 as the cut-off? It still falls within the admission year,” she said.

Other affected candidates at cybercafés in Abakaliki echoed similar frustration.

They called on the government to grant a waiver to candidates who would attain 16 years by December 31, 2025.

“We are not against the policy. But since we were allowed to sit for the UTME, we should also be allowed to process admission, especially since many of us are only months away from meeting the age requirement,” they said.

Parents, including Messrs Emmanuel Okorie, James Aja, and Mrs Adlin Elom, also urged JAMB to review the policy to accommodate young but qualified candidates.

A senior official at the JAMB office in Abakaliki, who pleaded anonymity, expressed regret over the inconvenience the policy has caused candidates and their families but maintained that the Board was bound to implement national policies.

“Unless the Federal Government softens the policy, no candidate below 16 at the point of admission processing will be able to print their original result slip,” the official said.

Our correspondent reports that as the 2025 admission season continues, the fate of many high-performing but underaged candidates remains uncertain.

There is growing pressure on the Federal Government to direct JAMB to adopt a transitional measure or grace period to accommodate affected candidates.