Stakeholders in the education sector have called on the Federal Government and relevant authorities to adopt a more flexible approach in the implementation of the age 16 minimum age policy for admission into tertiary institutions.

The stakeholders, who spoke on Friday in Abakaliki, said the policy had triggered public backlash and required urgent review.

They noted that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board had come under intense criticism from parents, candidates, and education experts following the enforcement of the policy.

The policy bars candidates below 16 years from securing admission into tertiary institutions.

The policy by the federal government has left hundreds of candidates unable to access their 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination results.

A development that generated mixed reactions from parents, instructors and other stakeholders.

A parent, Francis Unoke, described the development as “a betrayal of trust,” saying why were the underage candidates allowed to register for the exam in the first place.

Mr Unoke said, “After investing money to purchase the UTME form and seeing my son go through the stress of preparing for and passing the exam; he is now being denied admission just because he is underage. My son will turn 16 on October 21. Since he was allowed to register and sit for the examination, why can’t he be allowed to process his admission?”

An expert in Educational Measurement and Evaluation, Dr Chris Igwe, said the policy lacked nuance and called for flexibility in its enforcement.

He said, “A few months’ difference should not be the reason for denying admission. Candidates who will attain 16 years on or before December 31 should not be excluded.’’

Similarly, a university lecturer, Dr Ifeanyi Opara, faulted JAMB’s registration system for failing to flag underage candidates during registration.

He said, “If JAMB planned strict enforcement, why didn’t its portal reject entries from underage candidates? Policies should not slam doors in the faces of enthusiastic learners.’’

A member of the National Parent-Teacher Association of Nigeria, Ebonyi State branch, Eunice Okey, also urged JAMB to be more considerate.

She said, “Many of the affected candidates registered, took the exam, and performed well, only to be denied access to their results because of age. This kind of abrupt implementation is unfair and may affect thousands. I appeal to the Federal Government and JAMB to reconsider.’’

A 15-year-old candidate, Faith Obaji, who passed the UTME, also expressed frustration over her disqualification.

She said, “I will be 16 by November 22. Why can’t JAMB use December 31 as the cut-off? It still falls within the admission year.’’

Other affected candidates at cybercafés in Abakaliki echoed similar frustration.

They called on the government to grant a waiver to candidates who would attain 16 years by December 31, 2025.

“We are not against the policy. But since we were allowed to sit for the UTME, we should also be allowed to process admission, especially since many of us are only months away from meeting the age requirement,” they said.

Parents such as Emmanuel Okorie, James Aja, and Adlin Elom also urged JAMB to review the policy to accommodate young but qualified candidates.

A senior official at the JAMB office in Abakaliki, who spoke on condition of anonymity, expressed regret over the inconvenience the policy has caused candidates and their families but maintained that the Board was bound to implement national policies.

“Unless the Federal Government softens the policy, no candidate below 16 at the point of admission processing will be able to print their original result slip,” the official said.

As the 2025 admission season continues, the fate of many top scorers but underage candidates remains uncertain.

There is growing pressure on the Federal Government to direct JAMB to adopt a transitional measure or grace period to accommodate affected candidates.

(NAN)