Senate Committee Endorses 18years As Entry Age Into Tertiary Institutions

BY NGOZI NWANKWO, ABUJA – The Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, has assured that the upper chamber of the National Assembly would soon amend the existing law on the minimum entry age into universities and other tertiary institutions in the country.

Chairman of the committee, Senator Muntari Dandutse, who announced this after monitoring the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), alongside members of the House of Representatives committee on Tuesday, in Abuja,

While backing the decision of the Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, to set the minimum entry age for admission into tertiary education institutions at 18, Senator Dandutse, said the move would ensure that minors do not find their way to university.

Dandutse described the conduct of the ongoing UTME by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) as impressive and commended President Bola Tinubu for rolling out the student loan scheme, saying the programme would boost access to higher education in the country.

According to him; “One of the key problems we have in education was addressed by President Bola Tinubu, and the leadership of the National Assembly; that is the education loan for students”.

Speaking in turn, Senator Sunday Karimi, a member of the committee, said the need to boost access to education does not rule out pegging the minimum admission age at 18.

In the words of Karimi; “Everybody should have access to education. Just because you are 40 or 50 doesn’t mean you cannot enter university. It is not a barrier, but there is also a minimum. You cannot be 12, you cannot be 13, you cannot be 14, and enter the university.

“What the minister said yesterday is that you have to be 18, and we are not against that, because before you can enter primary school, you have to be 6, and before you enter secondary school, you have to be 12, so before you enter university, you have to be 18,” he said.

Asked if the Senate will come up with a law to make 18 years the mandatory age for entry into higher institutions in the country, Karimi said the law is already exist.

He said; “If it means to even take it and amend it to make sure we have a robust law, we are going to do that.”

While addressing some candidates at the Computer-Based Test (CBT), centre in Government Secondary School, Tudun Wada, Abuja, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education, Hon Oforji Oboku, called on the students to give their best in the exam.

He expressed delight at the eagerness of the students, saying that it shows that Nigeria has hope and a bright future, thus, advised them to take advantage of the Student Loan Scheme when admitted into higher institutions in the country.