A group of concerned parents, students, and stakeholders in Ekiti State have appealed to the Federal Government to abolish the age restriction policy imposed by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for university admissions.
In a letter to the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, and signed by representatives Adeniran Samuel and Omotayo Omokayode, the coalition urged the minister to allow qualified candidates who passed the 2025 JAMB exam to be considered for admission regardless of age.
The current JAMB policy mandates that only candidates who turn 16 by August 2025 are eligible for admission into tertiary institutions. However, the parents argue that this rule unfairly excludes brilliant but younger students, despite their excellent academic performance.
“This policy has disrupted the future of many bright children,” the coalition stated, describing the rule as discriminatory and unconstitutional. They cited Section 18(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which prohibits discrimination based on birth circumstances or age.
The parents also referenced a previous judgment from the Delta State High Court, which invalidated a similar JAMB age restriction in the past.
They stressed the urgency of reconsidering the policy, especially in a year when only 7% of JAMB candidates scored 250 or above. “It is unjust to disqualify high achievers on the basis of age, while admitting older candidates who scored far lower,” the letter stated.
The coalition called for any age policy to be implemented gradually, starting from the foundational level of education, not at the university entry point where students’ futures are at stake.
They appealed to the minister’s sense of justice and fairness:
“These children are not asking for special treatment they are asking not to be punished for academic excellence. Denying them admission today dims their hope and unfairly penalizes their brilliance.”
The group concluded by urging the Minister of Education to intervene and direct JAMB to lift age-related restrictions from its admission portal.
