The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, mentioned on Monday that the Federal Government is thinking about making 18 years the minimum age for university and other higher education admissions.
Mamman also mentioned that some of the issues in higher institutions are due to underage students.
While observing the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination in Abuja on Monday, Mamman hinted at this.
However, he warned parents not to push their children too much, allowing them time to mature and manage their affairs better.
He noted, “We have noticed that some of the university applicants are too young. We will address this because they are not old enough to understand what university education entails.
“This is the stage when students transition from a controlled environment to being in charge of their own affairs. So, if they are too young, they won’t be able to manage properly. This contributes to some of the problems we see in universities.
“We will look into this. 18 is the minimum age for university entry, but we see students who are 15 and 16 taking the examination. This is not good. Parents should be urged not to push their children too much.”
The minister praised the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board for a smooth examination process, and highlighted the role of technology in reducing exam malpractice.
“From the screening to the examination process, everything is smooth. The environment is comfortable for the students. That's how it should be, especially with the use of technology in our education system. It makes life easier for everyone and seamless.
“As we know, this examination is happening throughout the country and is being smoothly monitored everywhere. From the reports I have heard, the level of malpractice is very low, only 100 out of 1.2 million. It has decreased significantly, and I believe technology has made this possible.
Discussing the high number of candidates vying for limited slots in tertiary institutions, Mamman emphasized the importance of skills acquisition in preparing youth for the future.
“It's not just about employment but about how many will be admitted from this group. The overall figure on average is about 20 per cent, including universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
The question is, what about the 80 percent? They are our children, living with us. This is why skills acquisition is important: any student unable to proceed to tertiary education should be able to lead a meaningful life even after secondary school, or even primary education.
“The only solution to that is skills; starting from when they enter school, all the way through their education. Every student should finish with one skill or another. This aligns with the 6-3-3-4 educational system assumption.
It is believed that when a student finishes junior secondary school, they should have gained some skills. Even if they don't continue to senior secondary level, they will have acquired skills to help them in life and not be a burden on their parents and society.
That's why this skill is very important for us as we work to improve education in both public and private sectors to empower the youth.
The Minister of State for Education, Dr. Tanko Sununu, expressed excitement about the UTME being held in Saudi Arabia due to the high standards set by JAMB. He noted that the exam has reached a high level of objectivity and reliability.
From the moment candidates arrive, they will be comfortably seated in the waiting room, undergo screening and receive necessary instructions before proceeding to biometrics.
There are instructions that will even help those with no computer experience, as long as they have used a smartphone. These instructions will guide them to have access.
One major characteristic of online exams is the speed. The speed at the center is excellent, and pages turn without delay when candidates need them.
The exam includes several measures to prevent cheating. Adjacent candidates will take different subjects, and even if they answer the same questions, the questions they see will be different.
The exam standard is commendable. JAMB's expansion to conduct exams in other countries like Saudi Arabia is not surprising.
There have been no complaints of leaked answers, which shows that online exams can be very effective.
Most tertiary institutions in the country currently require candidates to be at least 16 years old for admission.
In 2021, the Senate announced plans to change the law establishing JAMB to set the minimum age for UTME candidates at 16 years and above.
During the Senate Committee on Basic Education's visit to JAMB, Senator Akon Eyakenyi indicated plans to prevent underage candidates from participating in the UTME to gain admission into Nigerian universities.
