Concerned parents in Ekiti State, under the aegis of the Coalition of Concerned Parents, Students and Stakeholders, have appealed to the Federal Government to reverse the age restriction policy recently introduced for admission into tertiary institutions.
In a letter signed by Adeniran Samuel and Omotayo Omokayode, and made available to journalists in Ado Ekiti on Sunday, the group expressed worry that the policy has “deeply affected the future of young Nigerians.”
The letter, addressed to the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, urged him to grant a waiver for all qualified candidates who passed the 2025 Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination, regardless of age.
They specifically requested that JAMB be directed to remove its portal restrictions preventing underage but qualified candidates from processing their admission.
JAMB had earlier announced that only candidates who turn 16 years old by August 2025 would be eligible for admission into tertiary institutions.
The Ekiti parents described the policy as unconstitutional, citing Section 18(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which guarantees freedom from discrimination. They argued that excluding brilliant students because of their birth date amounts to unfair discrimination.
Quoting their letter, they said:
“The JAMB policy amounts to discrimination based on circumstance of birth, by excluding brilliant students from access to higher education while admitting older, less qualified peers. No matter how plausible the justification JAMB provides, it is constitutionally void if it denies equal opportunity.”
The group also recalled a Delta State High Court judgment which had earlier declared a similar JAMB directive on underage admission “null and void.”
Highlighting the impact of the 2025 JAMB results, they noted that only seven per cent of candidates scored above 250, while some high-achieving students who scored above 70 per cent are now being denied admission simply because they are under 16. Meanwhile, older candidates who scored as low as 150 still qualify for admission.
“The criteria for admission should be merit, not an arbitrary age restriction,” they stressed.
The parents further recommended that any age policy should start gradually from the entry point of primary or junior secondary school, not at the terminal stage of secondary education, where it could destroy students’ hopes and efforts.
They concluded:
“These children are not asking for undue advantage; they are simply asking not to be punished for excelling early. Denying them admission dims their hope, weakens their morale, and unfairly penalises their brilliance. This is not just about education, but about fairness, constitutional rights, and the future of Nigeria’s brightest minds.”
