By Divine Macaulay, Kaduna
Parents of students disqualified from university admissions due to an age requirement policy have reached out to the new Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, urging that their children, who met all other admission requirements, be reconsidered. The controversial policy, implemented by former Minister Prof. Tahir Mamnan, required applicants to be at least 18 years old to gain admission to tertiary institutions.
Hajiya Maryam Zakaria, a Kaduna resident, voiced her frustration, stating that her 16-year-old son, despite scoring 236 in his JAMB examination and meeting the post-UTME requirements, was denied admission due to his age. “Dr. Alausa’s decision to reverse the 18-year benchmark is a welcome one,” Zakaria said. “Our children deserve justice. They met all academic criteria and should be offered admission now that the age restriction has been lifted.”
In a similar plea, a parent from Kogi State recounted a distressing experience where their child, who achieved a score of 259 in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), was denied admission to the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) solely due to the age policy. “We are overjoyed and relieved that the age policy has been reversed,” the parent said. “Our children’s future was unfairly delayed by an arbitrary rule. We urge the government to ensure the policy reversal is swiftly implemented so that our children can pursue their academic dreams without further obstacles.”
The National Parents Teachers Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) also condemned the previous policy, labeling it “unfriendly, unjust, and inequitable.” Deputy National President Adeolu Ogunbanjo expressed his concerns, questioning why Nigerian students should be held to age limits that do not account for individual academic achievements. “The world’s youngest professor is in their 20s,” Ogunbanjo argued. “Why should our students be delayed due to age?”
The affected parents have made a strong appeal to Dr. Alausa, asserting that the reversal of the age restriction should include immediate admission for those who were disqualified due to their age. With the policy change, they hope to see their children’s academic ambitions finally realized.
