Ekiti parents condemn JAMB age limit, urging Education Minister to scrap the policy which they say discriminates against brilliant underage students

Under the aegis of the Coalition of Concerned Parents, Students and Stakeholders, the group appealed to the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, to intervene and reverse the restriction.

Also read: JAMB deadline extension eases pressure on universities

The policy stipulates that only candidates who are 16 years old by August 2025 will be admitted into tertiary institutions.

Parents argue that the move unfairly penalises younger high achievers who excelled in the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examinations.

In a letter signed by Adeniran Samuel and Omotayo Omokayode, the coalition urged the minister to “direct JAMB to remove the portal restrictions preventing these candidates from processing admission”.

They stressed that merit, not age, should be the basis for admission.

The parents cited Section 18(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees freedom from discrimination, arguing that the age policy violates constitutional rights.

They also recalled a Delta State High Court ruling that previously nullified JAMB’s directive on underage admissions.

“Brilliant students who scored above 70 per cent are being denied entry, while older, less qualified candidates who scored as low as 150 gain admission,” the group lamented.

They further called for phased implementation of any future age policy, beginning at primary or junior secondary school, not at the point of tertiary admission.

“These children are not asking for undue advantage,” the coalition stated. “They are simply asking not to be punished for excelling early.”

Also read: JAMB underage candidates screening to spotlight exceptional young scholars

The group expressed confidence that the minister’s intervention could restore justice and fairness, safeguarding the hopes of Nigeria’s most talented young minds.