The newly appointed Minister of Education, Olatunji Alausa, has reversed the minimum admission age from 18 to 16 years, a policy previously set by his predecessor, Tahir Mamman.<\/p>\n
Alausa announced the change on Tuesday during a briefing after officially taking office.<\/p>\n
Alausa\u2019s appointment followed a recent cabinet reshuffle by President Bola Tinubu, who replaced Mamman and reassigned Yusuf Sununu, the former Minister of State for Education, to the Ministry of Humanitarian and Poverty Reduction.<\/p>\n
Background on the 18-Year Policy<\/b><\/p>\n
Earlier in July, Mamman directed the Joint Admission and Matriculations Board (JAMB) and Nigerian universities to only admit candidates aged 18 and above.<\/p>\n
He stated that this directive was rooted in existing educational policies, asserting, \u201cOur laws require students to be in school from six years\u2026and continue through primary, basic, and secondary levels. This isn\u2019t just a personal directive but a reflection of what\u2019s in the law.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reversal of the Age Directive<\/b><\/p>\n
Alausa, however, set the minimum admission age at 16, with exceptions for \u201cgifted children.\u201d He expressed concern that the 18-year requirement could hinder efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children.<\/p>\n
He also outlined plans to shift Nigeria\u2019s education system toward more practical, skill-oriented learning, especially in tertiary institutions.<\/p>\n
Emphasizing the role of practical education in tackling Nigeria\u2019s unemployment issues, he said the government aims to partner with private sector entities to better prepare students for the workforce and unlock their potential.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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