A don, Prof. Tunde Adeoye, on Wednesday counselled parents to desist from rushing their underage children or wards into the university to avoid regretting such decisions later.

Mr Adeoye, who is a Senior Lecturer, Department of Economics, University of Lagos, gave the counsel during an interview in Ota, Ogun.

According to him, parents should stop seeing university admission for their underage children as an achievement.

The don said that there was no doubt that there were some children brilliant enough to be admitted into university at young ages, noting that intelligence would not equate maturity.

Mr Adeoye said, “There is a difference between intelligence and maturity. Most of the students on campuses now are kids and immature. Also, parents should allow their children to be mature and have minds of their own before going to university, to prevent their being lured into secret cult or bad gangs.”

He noted that the trend of underage admissions was particularly common in private universities across the country.

He recalled that in the past, before a child could be admitted into primary school, such a child should be able to touch his right ear with his left hand going over his head.

Mr Adeoye urged the ministry of education to peg the primary school entry age to six years, saying it would save the nation from many troubles.

(NAN)