The newly appointed minister of education Dr Tunji Alausa has cancelled and reversed the 18-year admission benchmark into tertiary institutions in Nigeria earlier announced by his predecessor Prof Tahir Mamman.
Alausa announced the reversal of the admission age benchmark for tertiary institutions from 18 to 16 years on Tuesday, November 5, at his inaugural ministerial press briefing in Abuja, VON reported.
Education minister gives reason for reversal of entry age
He said the decision by his predecessor to benchmark the admissions age at 18 was in line with the National Policy on Education and stresses that the ministry will work with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and other stakeholders on the new direction of admissions age.
He stated that gifted students will be allowed admission into tertiary institutions even if they are less than 16 years old. He said:
We will not be going forward with the 18-year admission benchmark. We will go with 16 years and we are going to meet with JAMB and others on that. There will also be exceptions for gifted students.”
Benin Republic and Togo universities’ certificates ban
Alausa explained that the federal government’s policy banning some tertiary institutions’ certificates obtained from the Benin Republic and Togo will not be reversed.
The decision to nullify over 22, 700 degree certificates acquired by Nigerians in those listed ‘fake’ universities stands because it was a Federal Executive Council’s decision. he said:
The policy banning those certificates remains and nothing will change that.”
FG introduces nutritional programmes, conditional cash transfers
The education minister also announced that his ministry will introduce nutritional programmes to support students’ health and enhance human capital development.
He also said that the ministry in conjunction with the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs will work to provide conditional cash transfers to motivate students and increase school enrollment.
