By Alice Etuka, Abuja
The National Assembly has said it supports the Federal Ministry of Education’s decision to peg entry age into tertiary institutions at 18 years.
Chairman, Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, Sen. Dandutse Mohammed stated this on Tuesday, April 23, 2024 after monitoring the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in Abuja.
TheFact Daily recalls that the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman yesterday frowned at seeing underage candidates sitting for the UTME. Thereby indicating a flagrant disregard for the government approved age for admission seekers.
In the same vein, the senator said they would alter the law establishing the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, to limit the age of a candidate sitting the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to 18 years and above.
Senator Dandutse was accompanied on the visit by other members of his panel as well as his counterparts from the Committee on Higher Education in the House of Representatives.
The lawmaker who frowned at the manner in which underaged candidates now sit for the examination, promised that the legislative body would tinker with the extant law to peg the minimum age at 18.
He said: “Specifically, what we are saying is that everybody should have access to education. Your age, say you are 40, 50 doesn’t mean you cannot enter the university. It’s not a barrier. But there is also an age limit minimum. You cannot be 12, 13, 14 and enter the university.
“What the Minister said is that you have to be 18. We are not against that. That is okay for us because before you can enter primary school, you have to be six. And before you can enter secondary school, you have to be 12. Before you can enter the university, you have to be 18. We are not saying that you should send your child to secondary school at 13, 14, 15. What we are saying is that at 40, 50, nobody should debar you, even at 80, for access to education”.
On whether Nigerians should expect legal backing on the matter, he said: “We are going to do that. The law is there but if it means to amend our laws and make sure we have a robust law, we are going to do that. We agree totally with the Minister”.
