Education expert and Founder of Meclones Group, Ebenezer Mbamalu, has warned that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) policy restricting candidates below 16 years from gaining admission into tertiary institutions is leaving brilliant minds "on the streets," describing the measure as a "copy and paste policy" that unfairly punishes young learners.
The policy, announced by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, on 8 July 2025 during a JAMB policy meeting in Abuja, sets 16 years as the minimum age for admission and requires underage candidates who sit for the examination to score at least 80 per cent.
Speaking in an interview with The Guardian at Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos State, Mbamalu said the policy has stranded hundreds of high performing students. "About 599 candidates scored above 80 per cent, but only 85 were admitted, leaving 514 stranded. I call it 'on the streets' because no national institution can take them due to their age," he said.
Mbamalu criticised the policy as a borrowed concept from Western countries that was not adapted to Nigeria's realities. "I call it a copy and paste policy because it was not properly thought through. In most Western countries, the benchmark age is 18, but they have a structured system that tracks children from the point of entry into school. Here, the children are made scapegoats," he stated.
He argued that children should not be punished for decisions made by parents and school owners, noting that many are enrolled early due to socioeconomic pressures. "As a school owner, I know that when parents pay high fees, they expect results. Schools then push children ahead academically. Yet, neither the parents nor the schools are sanctioned. Instead, the child is punished at the end of the journey," he said.
Mbamalu proposed enforcing minimum age requirements for entry into primary and secondary schools, recommending that candidates for common entrance examinations should be at least 10 or 11 years old. He also called for sanctions against schools that admit underage pupils and suggested establishing a centralised tracking system, similar to the National Identification Number (NIN), to monitor children's ages from birth.
Describing the policy as "wicked and unfair," he warned that prolonged idleness exposes stranded students to negative influences. "Some of these students scored as high as 330, yet they are left idle at home. If they retake the exam, they may not perform as well because they have lost academic momentum," he noted.
Mbamalu urged the government and JAMB to review the policy and create mechanisms for universities to accommodate qualified underage candidates.
