The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede, has revealed a troubling issue regarding the admission of underage students in Nigerian tertiary institutions.
Professor Oloyede disclosed that some universities have admitted students as young as 10 years old, blatantly ignoring the legal minimum age limit of 18.
During a JAMB policy meeting in Abuja, Oloyede pointed out that universities such as the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) maintain a minimum age requirement of 16 years. However, he highlighted that other institutions are admitting much younger students.
He recounted an incident involving a candidate who applied for a master's degree at a university in Germany. This candidate had graduated from a Nigerian university at the age of 15, raising concerns abroad about the validity of her qualifications.
Professor Oloyede stated, "While 18 years is the official minimum age, universities like UNILAG and OAU will not accept anyone under 16. However, some institutions admit students as young as 10. Take this case: a candidate applied for a master's degree in Germany and for the Erasmus Scholarship program, an EU initiative. She was born in 2007 and started university at 12. The selection committee contacted Nigeria to verify if she had indeed graduated at 15. The EU was astonished and questioned the plausibility of such young graduates."
He added, "This situation has severe implications. In the next few years, graduates from Nigerian universities may face increased scrutiny and humiliation. In this particular case, JAMB did not admit the candidate due to her age; the university did. I was embarrassed and at a loss for words when responding to the EU."
Professor Oloyede's revelations underscore the urgent need for Nigerian universities to adhere to established age regulations to maintain the integrity of their admissions process and the reputation of their graduates.
