In a notable reversal, Education Minister Prof. Tahir Mamman has adjusted his earlier directive regarding the age requirement for admission into tertiary institutions through the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
Initially, Mamman had mandated that only candidates aged 18 years and above would be eligible for admission, sparking widespread criticism from stakeholders who deemed the policy unfair and impractical. This decision was made during an ongoing policy meeting organized by JAMB in Abuja.
However, following vehement opposition during the meeting, Mamman relented to the concerns raised by stakeholders. He announced, “From this year, applicants from 16 years and above should be eligible for admission. The new law will take effect from next year.”
This adjustment comes after stakeholders pointed out the logical inconsistency of denying admission to a 16-year-old student who meets the academic requirements set by WAEC and JAMB.
JAMB Sets 2024 Admission Cut-off Marks
Simultaneously, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has set the cut-off marks for 2024 admission into Nigerian universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
During the 2024 annual policy meeting on admissions held at the Body of Benchers Headquarters in Abuja, JAMB approved 140 as the cut-off mark for universities and 100 for polytechnics and colleges of education.
This decision was reached after thorough deliberations and recommendations by heads of institutions present at the meeting.
The meeting was chaired by Education Minister Prof. Tahir Mamman, underscoring the importance of aligning admission criteria with the performance of candidates in the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Registrar of JAMB, Is-haq Oloyede, clarified that while institutions have the flexibility to increase their minimum benchmark, they are not permitted to set cut-off marks lower than those approved for their respective categories of institutions.
The announcement of these cut-off marks marks a pivotal moment for prospective tertiary institution candidates, setting the stage for admissions into higher education institutions across Nigeria for the 2024 academic session.
As the academic community awaits further directives and adjustments, stakeholders and prospective students alike are advised to stay updated with developments from JAMB and the Ministry of Education regarding admission processes and requirements.
Stay tuned as this story develops with more updates expected in the coming weeks.
