President Bola Tinubu-led federal government has expressed concerns over the increasing number of underage students gaining entry into universities, revealing plans to set the minimum entry age at 18 years.
Speaking during his monitoring of the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamma said, "We noticed that the age of those who have applied to go to the university, some of them are really too young,”
According to Daily Trust, Mamman maintained that the ages of many of the UTME candidates were too young to understand what the rudiment of tertiary institution was all about.
The minister emphasized that the university environment requires a level of maturity that younger students might not possess, which is crucial for managing their affairs independently.
"We are going to look at that. 18 is the entry age for university but you will see students, 15, and 16, going to the examination. It is not good for us" he said
Speaking further, Prof. Mamman highlighted the challenges younger students face in adapting to the university lifestyle, which can significantly affect their academic and social life.
“That’s the stage when students migrate from a controlled environment where they are in charge of their own affairs. So if they are too young, they won’t be able to manage properly. That accounts for some of the problems we are seeing in the universities,” he explained.
The minister, however urged parents to allow their children to reach an appropriate maturity level before sending them off to university.
He suggested that starting university at an earlier age could hinder the student’s ability to cope with the challenges and responsibilities of university life.
Mamman then commended the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for a free and fair exercise, stating that the adoption of technology in the processes has streamlined the chances for examination malpractices.
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