BALANCING MERIT AND MATURITY IN JAMB’S AGE POLICY IS THE FOCUS OF TODAY’S VIEWPOINT.
As prospective candidates gear up for 2025 unified tertiary matriculation examination, the question of eligibility for under 16 hangs in the air.
A delta state high court recently ruled that the 16 years minimum admission age policy of the joint admissions and matriculation board, jamb, for entrance into higher institutions is unconstitutional.
The verdict followed a litigation filed in the public interest by john Aikpokpo-martins, a former chairman of the Nigerian bar association, NBA, Warri Branch, against jamb.
In response to the verdict, jamb had filed for a stay of execution, meaning the 16-year minimum still stands.
Expectedly, Nigerians have been weighing in on the issue, while some have applauded jamb’s decision, others have out rightly decried it.
In the United Kingdom, the standard age for admission to obtain higher certificates, diplomas and other vocational, competency-based qualifications is above 16 and in Europe, it is preferably age of 18.
The reason for the exclusion of under 16 candidates from admission into tertiary institutions, for example, in the UK is because students under the age of 18 are classed as children or ‘minors’ under UK law.
In this regard, going by international standard practice, jamb could be said to have followed accepted global norm.
However, jamb might need to examine the merit of the arguments of those canvassing that such candidates be allowed to gain admission into the nation’s higher institutions.
Basically, what accounts for under-16 candidates emerging to try their hands at UTME is as a result of increasing number of children gaining admission into secondary schools at very early age.
The prevalence of private schools has further furthered the phenomenon.
Also, a number of these students attempting to write UTME are exceptionally brilliant as there have been instances of some of them scoring over 330 in UTME.
This might not come as a surprise as the present generation of children has gone beyond being described as jet age to being termed genzs.
Besides intellectual capacity, some of these children do show capacity for mature decision.
Although jamb has approved admission for exceptional candidates under 16, there is a growing concern about the increasing number of students who finish secondary school before reaching 16.
Denying them the opportunity to take the UTME would leave them idle at home, without any engaging activities.
To this end, under 16 students should be allowed to write UTME, and successful candidates have their admission deferred till the next academic session when they would have attained the required age.
This means that they would not be required to write another UTME.
Finding a middle ground that upholds jamb’s under-16 policy would not only provide opportunities for young students but also encourage others to strive for exceptional academic achievement, ultimately elevating the overall standard of performance in schools.
