JAMB: Underage candidates turning 16 by August 2025 are eligible for admission

The Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) says candidates who will be aged 16 by August 2025 can be admitted to tertiary institutions.

In July, the education ministry introduced a policy adopting 18 as the minimum age for tertiary institution admissions.

It said the policy, which is to take effect in 2025, will ensure candidates are mature enough to deal with the rigours of tertiary education.

It further said candidates who do not spend the required years in primary and secondary school would not be allowed to write the SSCE.

The age policy has been critiqued, with stakeholders concerned that exceptional students could be unduly shut out of tertiary education.

JAMB had said it would admit candidates who are as young as 16 for the 2024 season while the age 18 requirement takes effect in 2025.

But in a statement on Thursday, JAMB said it learned that some institutions expect 2024/2025 admissions to run through to July 2025.

In another exception, the board said it has now agreed that candidates who will be turning 16 by August 2025 can be admitted.

The examination body instructed tertiary institutions to document their candidates who fit into this category.

“The board has taken cognizance that, due to different reasons, some institutions expect the 2024/2025 admission to run through July 2025,” the board said.

“Without compromising the standard or infringing on the individual institution’s admission policy, the board has now decided to allow any willing institution to admit candidates who will be 16 years old by the 31st of August 2025.

“This is so long as the standards set by the institution qualify such candidates but couldn’t be admitted only because of age.

“You are requested to harvest from your CAPS and send the list of candidates who would be 16 years of age between 1st of January and 31st of August 2025 who are eligible for admission (if any), not later than a week from the date on this letter to enable final decision.

“This effort is to ensure equity because those whose 2024 admission would last till August 2025 would not be unduly favoured.”