The Federal Government has officially fixed 16 years as the minimum age for admission into Nigeria’s tertiary institutions, declaring the age benchmark as non-negotiable.
He stressed that no institution has the right to admit any candidate below the age of 16, regardless of circumstance. “The official age of entry into tertiary institutions is 16, and this is not open for debate,” the minister affirmed.
In a firm warning to universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, Dr. Alausa also stated that any admission process conducted outside the Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) would be considered illegal. He added that institutional heads and officials involved in such practices would face prosecution for admission fraud.
The minister’s statement is part of wider efforts by the Federal Government to sanitize Nigeria’s tertiary education system, eliminate backdoor admissions, and ensure transparency and equity in student intake across the board.
Dr. Alausa’s remarks come amid growing concerns over age falsification, admission racketeering, and manipulation of academic records to meet institutional requirements. CAPS was introduced by JAMB to centralize and streamline admissions, but some institutions have reportedly attempted to bypass the system.
He reiterated that the Ministry of Education remains committed to enforcing admission guidelines and holding institutions accountable for violations.
0 Comments