Ekiti Parents Urge FG to Scrap JAMB Age Restriction, Cite Discrimination

Parents in Ekiti State, under the banner of the Coalition of Concerned Parents, Students and Stakeholders, have called on the Federal Government to reverse the age restriction policy for admission into tertiary institutions.

Their demand was contained in a letter signed by Adeniran Samuel and Omotayo Omokayode, and addressed to the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa. The parents argued that the policy, which bars candidates below 16 years of age by August 2025 from gaining admission, has negatively impacted the future of many young Nigerians.

They urged the minister to grant waivers for all students who passed the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), regardless of age, and directed the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to remove portal restrictions blocking such candidates from processing admission. According to them, the rule amounts to discrimination based on circumstances of birth, contrary to Section 18(1) of the 1999 Constitution.

The parents also pointed to the recent Delta State High Court ruling which nullified JAMB’s earlier directive on underage admissions. They maintained that academic merit, not arbitrary age limits, should determine eligibility. Highlighting that only seven per cent of candidates scored 250 or above in the 2025 UTME, they insisted it is unjust to deny high achievers admission while admitting older candidates with lower scores. They urged the ministry to implement any age policy gradually, beginning from the lower levels of education, to avoid jeopardizing students’ future.