Tunji Alausa, the newly appointed Minister of Education, has announced the reversal of the controversial 18-year minimum age requirement for tertiary school admissions, which was introduced by his predecessor, Tahir Mamman.
Addressing journalists on Tuesday, Alausa explained that a cap of 18 years is unsustainable for the Nigerian education system.
The 18-year minimum age policy, set by Mamman in July, was still under modification and had been slated for implementation in 2025.
It was designed to address concerns regarding the maturity of younger secondary school graduates entering tertiary institutions. However, the policy faced significant opposition, with stakeholders arguing that it would unfairly exclude exceptionally gifted students from pursuing higher education.
Under Alausa’s new directive, the age limit for tertiary admissions will revert to 16 years, with allowances for younger students who demonstrate exceptional academic ability.
The minister emphasized that setting an 18-year cap conflicts with the federal government’s goals of increasing access to education and reducing the number of out-of-school children.
“The education sector requires flexibility to accommodate both maturity and academic potential,” Alausa stated, noting that a rigid age restriction could hinder progress for gifted students and complicate the admission process.
A component of the 18-year policy had also mandated that students who do not complete the required number of years in primary and secondary school would be barred from taking O’level exams.
This part of the policy, Alausa confirmed, would also be scrapped under the revised framework.
Alausa’s reassignment as Education Minister comes after President Bola Tinubu’s recent cabinet reshuffle in October, which saw him move from his previous position as Minister of State for Health.
