A growing number of parents across Nigeria have appealed to the Federal Government to abolish the age restriction imposed by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), arguing that the policy is unfair to exceptionally gifted children who complete their secondary education at a younger age. They contend that maintaining the minimum age requirement prevents these students from advancing in their academic pursuits despite their intellectual capabilities.
Currently, JAMB stipulates that candidates must be at least 16 years old before they can sit for its Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), the mandatory entry test for admission into Nigerian universities and other tertiary institutions. Parents say this requirement has left many bright students stranded, forcing them to either wait for years or abandon their dreams of higher education at their prime academic stage.
Several parents who spoke on the matter lamented that the policy discourages academic excellence, noting that many children begin school early and progress rapidly due to their brilliance. They argue that penalising such children by denying them timely access to higher education is counterproductive and wastes their potential.
Some educationists have also thrown their weight behind the parents’ appeal, pointing out that intelligence and readiness for tertiary education should not be judged by age alone. They suggest that universities should instead assess students based on academic ability, emotional maturity, and preparedness for higher learning, rather than an arbitrary age benchmark.
Meanwhile, affected students have expressed frustration over the policy, with some saying they feel held back despite having the capacity to compete with older peers. Many described the delay as demotivating, adding that it disrupts their academic progression and, in some cases, weakens their zeal for learning.
Supporters of the age limit, however, argue that the policy was designed to ensure that students entering tertiary institutions are mature enough to handle the pressures of academic independence and campus life. They maintain that scrapping the rule could create more social and psychological challenges for underage students in universities.
With pressure mounting from parents and stakeholders, calls for a review of the JAMB age restriction are gaining momentum. Observers say the Federal Government may soon be forced to reconsider the policy in order to strike a balance between protecting young students and rewarding exceptional academic achievement.
