University Admission: FG to develop guidelines for exceptional under-18 students

The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, says the ministry is planning to develop guidelines that will enable exceptionally brilliant students to gain admission into tertiary institutions before the age of 18 years.

Mamman spoke while giving a keynote address at the Ministerial Session of the 68th National Council on Education (NCE) meeting in Abuja on Thursday.

The theme of the 68th NCE meeting was “Innovation, Digital Technology, and Entrepreneurship: Tools for Education and National Development in the 21st Century.”.

He emphasised the need for clarity regarding the policy on 18-year admission age, which had dominated the media space recently.

Supreme News reports that the minister had earlier stated that beginning from 2025, candidates under 18 years would not be allowed to sit for the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE), a prerequisite for admission to higher institutions.

The policy had sparked arguments in the media spaces, with education stakeholders and parents expressing diverse views about the policy.

At the NCE meeting, Mamman noted that the ministry was working toward establishing guidelines for exceptionally intelligent students who might not fit the age requirement.

“There is a need to clarify the misconceptions surrounding the 18-year age limit for university admissions.

“The ministry is simply emphasising the age requirement for entry into tertiary institutions as outlined in the National Policy on Education, the UBEC Act, and the Education (Minimum) Standards Act 1993.

“It is not about the age for participating in WAEC, NECO, NABTEB, or any ordinary-level examinations,” he said.