Tahir Mamman, Nigeria’s Minister of Education, voiced concerns in May 2024 on the age of applicants taking the UTME exam, pointing out that pupils as young as 15 and 16 were being forced into higher education. This resulted in a policy order that said candidates under the age of eighteen would not be accepted to postsecondary schools beginning in 2025. The age-gating policy is justified by the need to make sure that students are responsible enough to manage the rigors of college life. Nonetheless, this instruction lacks official legal backing and has faced criticism for failing to tackle the underlying factors contributing to pupils’ immaturity.
Students may experience social vices and scholastic setbacks as a result of the policy. It is recommended that Nigeria take a more accommodating stance, like to the US system, in which pupils can skip grades in accordance with their level of academic preparedness. Setting consistent age thresholds for school enrollment and making sure that kids fulfill performance and psychological requirements prior to advancement would be necessary for effective implementation. The article’s conclusion is that, although age-gating can help with some problems, it should be adaptable and tailored to Nigeria’s circumstances.
Many students find it difficult to adjust to the demands of uni life.
According to statistics, 20% or so of Nigeria’s university students are under the age of 18. Performance study shows a range of results: many students find it difficult to adjust to the social and emotional demands of university life, while some achieve academic success. Professor John Adeyemi and other educational experts contend that “the secondary Education system, which often focuses more on rote learning than on developing critical thinking and personal responsibility, is the root of the problem.” “Maturity is not solely determined by age; cognitive and emotional development play significant roles,” continues psychologist Dr. Aisha Bello.
The educational systems of the UK, US, and Canada are compared to Nigeria’s, noting that accelerated schooling for talented kids is customary in these nations. schooling in Nigeria normally ends at the age of eighteen. Primary Education in Nigeria begins at age five, and children sometimes skip classes to start Secondary School early. As a result, some pupils are eligible to apply to universities at the age of fifteen. Case studies from nations that have enacted age-gating laws, such as Germany and Japan, reveal varying degrees of success. Germany’s university students are now better equipped thanks to the program, whereas Japan’s strict age structure has occasionally slowed down academic advancement without appreciably raising students’ maturity levels.
Specific instructions for implementing this policy are still lacking.
Setting a minimum age of 18 for university entry and improving secondary school curricula to better prepare students for Higher Education are two components of Nigeria’s age-gating policy’s suggested implementation plan. The government intends to give secondary school students instruction in critical thinking, job advice, and life skills. Nevertheless, specific instructions for observing and implementing this policy are still lacking. A phased approach has been requested by stakeholders so that schools and children have time to become used to the new requirements.
Furthermore, the possible advantages and disadvantages of the strategy has been stressed. It was also emphasized above how age-gating could guarantee kids have greater maturity, which would boost their social and academic results. But some claim that it could impede pupils’ academic advancement, which could make them more irritable and possibly resort to vices in society. Additionally, the program may make inequality worse by disproportionately affecting low-income students, who frequently turn to accelerated learning to cut expenses.
Related Article: 18 years as Minimum Age for Tertiary Admission
Nigeria has a history of implementing reforms in education with the goal of enhancing both quality and accessibility. The goal of the 1970s Universal Primary Education (UPE) initiative was to give every kid access to free primary education. The 1999 implementation of the Universal Basic Education (UBE) initiative, which sought to provide free education up to the junior secondary level, came after this. Problems include low funding, shoddy facilities, and a shortage of qualified teachers have remained in spite of these attempts. By guaranteeing that students are more equipped for postsecondary education, the present age-gating policy is a component of a larger initiative to solve these systemic problems.