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Imagine this: a 15-year-old girl in Kaduna spends months attending extra lessons, memorising formulas, and praying fervently with her family for success in the JAMB exams. She dreams of studying medicine. Results come out—she scores 278. Everyone celebrates. But guess what? She’s “too young” to be admitted.
Now multiply that scenario by thousands. That’s the ticking time bomb Nigeria’s education system is juggling right now.
Recently, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) doubled down on its age restrictions.
Candidates under the age of 16 will no longer be considered eligible for university admission—even if they pass the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) with flying colors.
On paper, it sounds like regulation. But in reality, it’s exclusion, plain and simple.
The argument? Maturity. But critics argue that if you can drive innovation, survive Nigeria, and score 280 in UTME at 15, why should age disqualify you?
These restrictions mean more and more students who perform well will be forced into educational limbo—repeating a year, waiting without a plan, or worse, giving up.
Parents are worried. Teachers are demoralized. Students? They’re quietly becoming disillusioned.
What do you expect in a country where even the “gifted” are punished for being too early?
Let’s not mince words—this policy is a ticking dropout crisis. Here’s why:
1. Delayed Dreams: Students stuck in “wait mode” often lose interest and momentum.
2. Financial Strain: Families now have to pay for additional years of tuition or exams.
3. Brain Drain at the Root: Talented students may look abroad for countries that *actually* want them.
4. Rise in Informal Labor: Young people left idle often drift into trades—not by choice, but by circumstance.
Let’s ask the hard question: Why does our system reward mediocrity and penalize excellence?
Instead of building flexible structures to nurture brilliance, Nigeria is increasingly building walls around it. It’s like telling a plant to stop growing just because the pot is too small.
Instead of fixing the pot, we’re trimming the roots.
WAEC results recently hit a 10-year low. Meanwhile, CBT (computer-based testing) is failing many students, especially in rural areas. Add JAMB’s age restrictions to the mix, and what do you get?
Also Read: Joint Admissions And Matriculation Board: Check Out The Full Criteria For Under-Age Candidates
A perfect storm that could trigger the biggest dropout wave Nigeria has ever seen.
One girl told a local reporter: “I scored 305 in JAMB and still can’t gain admission because I’m 15. I feel like I’m being punished for working hard.” Let that sink in.
* Age Flexibility: If you pass, you pass. Let tertiary institutions determine maturity during interviews or post-UTME screenings.
* Academic Bridging Programs: Create special programs for under-16 candidates to stay engaged.
* Policy Review and Dialogue: Bring in parents, teachers, psychologists, and students to shape fairer policies.
Nigeria cannot afford to sideline its most promising minds. Not now. Not ever.
JAMB may have noble intentions, but the reality on the ground is stark. We are driving students away from education not because they failed—but because they succeeded too early.
In a country that desperately needs innovation, energy, and excellence, why are we clipping the wings of the young?
It’s high time we asked ourselves: Do we want a nation of scholars or a generation of school dropouts?
Because right now, it feels like we’re choosing the latter—one age limit at a time.
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