…There’re implications when children jump classes – Lecturer
‘…Parents’ll be forced to send their 16-year-olds to schools abroad’
The decision of the government to set the minimum age for university admissions at 18 years has continued to generate debate in the country’s education sector. BENJAMIN SAMSON in this report examines pros and cons of the policy.
The Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, recently announced the federal government’s decision to set 18 years as the minimum age for admission to the nation’s universities to stakeholders at the 2024 Joint Admissions Matriculation Board’s policy meeting on education in Abuja.
Explaining the policy, Mamman insisted that the law requires children to be in school at 18 years of age, having attended six years in primary school, three years in junior secondary school, and three years in senior secondary school.
“One of the primary motivations for the policy is the maturity and preparedness of students entering higher education. This decision also aims to address the quality of secondary education,” he said.
Speaking with this reporter, an educationist, Lynda Basil, said, “By ensuring that students spend adequate time in secondary school, the government hopes to strengthen the foundational knowledge and skills of students before they transition to tertiary education.
“One of the primary motivations for the policy is the maturity and preparedness of students entering higher education. This decision also aims to address the quality of secondary education. By ensuring that students spend adequate time in secondary school, the government hopes to strengthen the foundational knowledge and skills of students before they transition to tertiary education.”
Divided opinions
Stakeholders who spoke with this reporter expressed mixed feelings about the policy.
A primary school teacher and member Association of Nursery and Primary Education Instructors in Nigeria (ANPEIN), Mr. Sunday Fowowe, said imposing 18 years as the age limit for entry into university would address underage-related challenges.
He said, “It would prevent underage students from registering for exams administered by WAEC, JAMB, and NECO.
“It’s a step in the right direction because the initiative seeks to promote academic excellence, safeguard student’s welfare, and uphold the standards of higher education in the country.
“For those who grew up in the ‘80s and early ‘90s, it is when you are 18-years-old that you are encouraged to take UMTE, poly and college entrance examinations.
“Suddenly, for reasons I don’t know, the age requirements to enter Nigerian higher institutions changed to 16 years. This prompted and later led to skipping some classes like from primary four to six in Nigerian primary schools.”
Fowowe added that the practice was for the supposed brilliant pupils to join the junior secondary school from Primary Four.
“Graduates are no longer the mature minds we used to have in those days. In Nigeria, the issue of under-age admission into higher institutions is a long-standing concern, with implications for academic performance, social development, and the integrity of educational systems.
“We commend the initiative to enforce an 18-year age limit for tertiary education admissions; it is both timely and necessary.
“Moreover, the Nigerian educational regulatory and examination bodies, such as WAEC, JAMB and NECO should play a crucial role in ensuring the integrity and fairness of admissions processes.
“By aligning registration requirements with the 18-year age limit, these institutions can mitigate the risks associated with under-age admissions. They also foster a more conducive learning environment for all students,” he said.
Similarly, a lecturer at the Department of Early Childhood Care and Primary Education, Kogi State University, Anyigba, Mrs. Doris Isaac, said it was fundamental to allow children pass through normal classes as required, adding that the 6-3-3-4 system in the country should still be observed.
“There are implications when children jump classes, no matter how intelligent he or she is, something will be missing along the line, they struggle to meet up and it’s not healthy for their academic career,” she said.
She said she had been carrying out an advocacy against admitting underage children into school.
She said, “We’ve long advocated for age-appropriate education, addressing the challenges of the hurried child phenomenon. This landmark decision reflects our shared goal of empowering Nigerian youths with the maturity and readiness essential for success in higher education and beyond.
“The early years of a child’s life are very important for their health and development. Hurrying children during this stage can have adverse effects.
“Interestingly, when these children go abroad, they are placed in classes based on their age. There’s a pressing need for more awareness, as some rush ahead without fully grasping the situation,” she said.
However, the executive director of Journalists for Democratic Rights (JODER), Adewale Adeoye, told this reporter that he believes the policy is intended to ensure that students enter university at a mature age.
He said, “They want to see university students as older than puberty. But maturation is a process. Even at 18, you still have a lot to learn in life. It is a completely wrong policy. Civil society will challenge it in court. We seem to enjoy regressing rather than progressing. At 16, a student is old enough to start university. Some exceptional students can enter university between the ages of nine and fifteen. There have been several cases like this around the world, including in Nigeria.”
He stated that the new policy would result in a vote of no confidence in Nigeria’s future leadership.
“We are telling them that at 16, they cannot compete on the global stage. We are telling them that at 16, they cannot think critically or constructively. This is a backward policy that must be rejected.”
He went on to say that many parents will be forced to send their 16-year-old children to school outside the country, whether in Togo or Ghana.
“The policy will also punish many parents and students. Some parents may feel compelled to change their children’s birth dates to protect their bright future. It is a policy that encourages the government to criminalise its citizens,” he said.
Also speaking, the convener of Health Education and Human Rights Advocacy Initiative (HEHRAI), Onuche Ugbede, told this reporter that the policy might delay the academic progress of exceptionally gifted students who are ready for university before the age of 18.
He said, “Such students may feel held back. This could lead to boredom and disengagement during their remaining years in secondary school. The talents of these students might not be fully utilised or developed if they are forced to adhere to age restrictions rather than academic readiness.
“The policy could impose additional burdens on secondary schools which might face increased pressure to accommodate students for longer periods. This could strain resources and facilities. The curriculum might need significant adjustments to keep older students engaged and adequately prepared for university, requiring additional training for teachers and potential financial investments.
“Families may face prolonged financial commitments towards their children’s secondary education, impacting their overall financial planning and stability. Moreover, students entering university later will subsequently enter the workforce later, potentially affecting their earning potential and career progression.
“Ensuring compliance with the new age requirement could pose administrative challenges, especially in regions with less stringent record-keeping and oversight. There may be inconsistencies in how the policy is implemented across different regions and schools, leading to potential disparities and perceptions of unfairness.
“Another drawback is that the policy might reduce flexibility for students who wish to pursue alternative educational pathways, such as vocational training or early college programmes.”
Parents differ
A parent, Angela Sani, said pegging the entrance age at 18 was not a bad idea because many parents, guardians and school proprietors rushed their children through elementary and secondary schools to enable them to finish academics very early in life.
She said, “Many of these children finish secondary school without any iota of maturity, and when they get to the university, so many usually fall into trouble because they lack the maturity to deal with certain issues, and a lot also graduate just with academic knowledge and no capacity to make meaningful decisions.”
While blaming the early child education system which many parents have embraced to ease them of being with the kids, Eucharia said some parents now send their few-months-old babies to crèche and that before one knew they were through with primary school.
She said those who had written the UTME should be allowed to go, but that from next year JAMB should stop them at the point of registration.
She advised that when a child finishes secondary school at the age of 16, the government and parents should provide an avenue for the child to learn a skill, trade or pre-varsity education before they are of age to go to university, noting that it would give them added advantage and keep them on track.
However, another parent, John Chibuike, said the news had unsettled his 16-year-old son who sat for the 2024 UTME.
He said the son asked him, “Daddy, does that mean I will not be going to university and that I have to wait for another two years to be qualified to go to school?’’
He said that although he was not faulting the pronouncement; the age decision would affect the children and won’t be fair to them.
He said, “You cannot ask a child who has finished senior secondary school and obtained a good result and gets the required cut off mark and qualifies to go to the university to stay at home for another year or two because of age issue; that will break the child and affect his mental health and possibly performance and studies in future.”
He blamed the system and the government for bringing in policies which affected the system, saying, “When they insisted that children should start school early through crèche and early child education, they should have known that when they start early they will finish early too. They cannot bring confusion in the system now in the name of reviewing the age limit.”
Policy reforms
In an interview with this reporter, a retired school principal, Mrs. Grace Akinduro, advised policymakers to restore the country’s old academic system with updated dynamics.
She said, “Until 1978, we had primary school, modern school, secondary school, higher secondary school, and technical school, college of education, polytechnic, and university.
“Our education policymakers made a mistake when they abolished modern schools and rendered those who attended technical schools useless, making them feel inferior in society. They value certificates more than students’ acquired skills. We are witnessing capital flight in the artisanal sector. People who do such work today come from neighbouring countries.
“Rather than focusing on the age at which a child can be admitted to a higher education institution, they should redesign the old education system to meet today’s global socio-economic and technological demands.”
Temporary decision
Meanwhile, Mamman has reverted to the status quo on the minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions from 18 to 16 years for 2024 admission year only.
This follows the protest from stakeholders at the on-going Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) policy meeting.
Stakeholders argued that 18 years as the minimum age was too high, and the decision came at the wrong time, given that candidates below 18 have already written the exams.
Stakeholders including vice-chancellors and rectors also kicked against the age enforcement, saying the decision would force students below 18 years to stay at home for two to three years more, since they were not informed earlier of their ineligibility.
Responding, Mamman said the points raised were valid and so the minimum age be reduced from 18 to 16.
However, he said this was just for the 2024 admissions and subsequently, 18 years would be the minimum age.
