The Federal Government has officially declared 16 years as the minimum age for gaining admission into tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
This announcement was made by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, during the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Policy Meeting held in Abuja on Tuesday.
Dr. Alausa emphasized that the new age benchmark is non-negotiable and will be strictly enforced moving forward. According to him, admitting candidates below this age goes against the government's education policy.
He also issued a strong warning to universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across the country: any admission process conducted outside the Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) will be considered illegal. Institutions found violating this directive risk prosecution.
The Minister didn't mince words when he said that school heads involved in admission malpractice will be held accountable and face the full weight of the law.
This move by the federal government is aimed at sanitizing the admission process and ensuring a standard, age-appropriate academic environment in Nigeria’s higher institutions.
