Scrap JAMB Age Limit to Protect Brilliant Students, Parents Urge Federal Government

A coalition of concerned parents, students, and education stakeholders in Ekiti State has called on the Federal Government to immediately scrap the age restriction policy currently applied to candidates seeking admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions.

In a letter addressed to the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, and signed by coalition representatives Adeniran Samuel and Omotayo Omokayode, the group appealed for a waiver for all qualified students who successfully passed the 2025 Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination, regardless of their age.

The coalition expressed frustration over the ongoing implementation of JAMB’s directive, which stipulates that only candidates who turn 16 years old by August 2025 are eligible for admission into universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education. According to the parents, this policy has left many exceptionally bright students stranded, unable to process their admission despite scoring well above the required cut-off marks.

“The JAMB portal restrictions are unfair to brilliant children who excelled early,” the letter stated. “Admission into higher institutions should be based on merit, not on an arbitrary age rule that punishes students for their date of birth.”

Alleged Violation of Constitutional Rights

The group described the policy as a breach of Section 18(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees every Nigerian citizen freedom from discrimination based on birth circumstances, sex, religion, or other status.

“This policy discriminates against candidates simply because they were born a few months later,” the parents argued. “It denies access to higher education for top-performing students while allowing older candidates with lower scores to secure admission. No matter the justification JAMB provides, it remains unconstitutional if it denies equal opportunities.”

The coalition referenced a previous judgment by a Delta State High Court, which declared JAMB’s earlier directive on underage admissions null and void. They stressed that the current policy disregards this ruling and unfairly targets Nigeria’s brightest minds.

Merit Over Age

Citing the 2025 JAMB results, the parents highlighted that only about 7 percent of candidates scored 250 or above, making it even more unjust to deny admission to high scorers based solely on age.

“It is absurd to disqualify students who scored over 70 percent in an exam where most candidates barely reached the 150 cut-off mark for universities,” the coalition said. “Merit, not age, should be the basis for admission.”

The group further advised that if any age policy must exist, it should begin from the foundational levels of education—such as entry into primary or junior secondary school—rather than at the terminal stage of secondary education where students’ futures depend on timely progression.

Call for Minister’s Intervention

Appealing directly to the Education Minister, the parents urged him to use his office to restore fairness and protect the dreams of young Nigerians who excel academically at an early age.

“These children are not asking for special treatment,” the statement continued. “They only seek the right to advance based on their performance. Denying them admission weakens their morale, dims their hope, and penalizes their brilliance. Your timely intervention can restore justice, fairness, and compassion in this matter.”

The coalition emphasized that this issue goes beyond education, describing it as a matter of constitutional rights and the nation’s commitment to nurturing its most gifted students.