Concerned parents in Ekiti State have appealed to President Bola Tinubu to prevail on Professor Ishaq Oloyede, the Registrar of JAMB, and the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, to extend admission age to those who will be 16 years by the end of the 2025/2026 academic session.
Speaking on behalf of the concerned parents with newsmen yesterday in Ado Ekiti, Prof. Atiba Adeniran Samuel said that though the group is not against the policy of a 16-year admission age limit, it shouldn’t start at the intermediate level.
Adeniran urged the government to start the implementation of the policy from the entry age to primary school.
“We expect enforcement at the entry level. A child of 4 years who is prevented from being admitted into a primary school has no emotional attachment, unlike a teenager who has passed all prerequisite examinations to be admitted into higher institutions.
“This is the emotional challenge we are facing at home with our children. Upon our enquiries, it was gathered that our kids signed undertakings only to be allowed to write the examination without using the same for admission. We wonder what kind of undertaking was signed without their parents?
“It is also said that a child who is to turn 16 by next year September is psychologically unstable. Can JAMB know our children more than us? Besides, have Nigerian universities recorded any unwanted or unexpected behaviors from those who were admitted ‘underaged’ in the past?
“We strongly believe that enforcement of the policy should be based on occurrences of some unpalatable experiences from these ‘underaged’ in the past.
“JAMB also gave an explanation that a meeting of Vice Chancellors across the country was called to enforce this teenager-unfriendly policy, and the majority of them agreed. Why wouldn’t they agree when the Minister called his appointees to agree on an issue? What do we expect? Besides, the majority of them don’t have children seeking admission any longer.”
The group charged JAMB and the Ministry of Education to call meetings of younger Vice Chancellors and those of private universities, saying their opinions on the policy would be different.
“We appeal to our dear President and the mother of these children, Her Excellency Remi Tinubu, to urgently intervene as many schools are closing up on admission for the 2025/2026 academic session.
“Our single prayer is that children who will be 16 years before the end of the 2025/2026 (September 30th, 2026) session be allowed to seek admission into any institution in Nigeria. This ground was shifted last year. We also encourage JAMB and the Minister for Education to go back to the drawing board to strategize in enforcing this age policy from primary school education.”
