JAMB, in a statement on October 16, stated that only candidates who will be 16 years old by August 2025 would be admitted to tertiary institutions.

This directive was a follow up to the new policy that the ministry of education introduced which states the adoption of 18 years as the minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions.

JAMB, however, made an exception for students seeking admission in the 2024/2025 session.

Dissatisfied with JAMB’s directive, John Aikpokpo-Martins, a former Nigerian Bar Association chairman, Warri branch, dragged the admission board to court.

The sole applicant, Aikpokpo-Martins (for and on behalf of all candidates born on the 1st of September 2009 to the 31st December, 2009, who wrote and passed JAMB exams in 2024), in a suit marked W/311/FHR/2021, sued JAMB and Edwin Clark University as 1st and 2nd respondents respectively. In a ruling delivered on Thursday, Justice Anthony Akpovi granted all the reliefs sought by the applicant, as confirmed by a Certified True Copy (CTC).

The applicant had sought an order of the court restraining the respondents from taking further action on and/or giving effect to the directives contained in the circular of the 1st respondent dated the 16th October, 2024 and captioned “Admission of candidates with minimum Admissible age of 16 years” as signed by Mohammed A. Babaji to all Nigerian Universities pending the hearing and determination of the originating motion.

The applicant also prayed the court to issue “An order of interim injunction restraining the respondents from withdrawing the admission given to Angel Aikpokpo Martins and/or restricting her rights and privileges and/or preventing her access to school and all educational facilities of the 2nd respondent institution as a student pending the hearing and determination of the originating motion.”

In his ruling, Justice Olotu said, “Reliefs 1 and 2 are hereby granted to preserve and protect the respondents, which is the right of every Nigerian child born on the 1st of September 2009 to the 31st of December, 2009, who wrote and passed JAMB exams in 2024 to remain duly admitted by 1st respondent as it applies to all Nigerian Universities including 2nd respondent and the effect is that the 1st respondent’s circular to Vice Chancellors, Provost, Rectors dated 16/10/24 Ref: JAMB/ADMS/139/V.

“111 is put in abeyance and on hold and the status quo to be maintained is the admission list prior to this circular pending the hearing of the originating motion dated and filed 24/10/24. Reliefs 3(a) and (b) are hereby granted for substituted service by courier service as prayed. Relief 4 for accelerated hearing is also granted.”

Oloyede gave the advice on Thursday while delivering the convocation lecture at the Kwara State University, Malete.

He delivered a lecture, titled: “Learning, Unlearning and Relearning – Prerequisites of the Digital Age.”

The JAMB registrar said, “New opportunities will emerge in the high-tech sector and many skills that were not otherwise taught in conventional schools would be needed. Degrees would no longer be the sole guarantors of jobs but demonstrable skills will.

“In this regard, there won’t be meaningful difference between the literates and the illiterates without the cutting-edge skills that are associated with the triad – learning, unlearning and relearning.”

Oloyede stressed that: “Those who can learn, unlearn and relearn are the successful ones and those without the mindset that accommodates the triad are bound to perpetually lament.”

While noting that today’s world was different from the Stone Age, the JAMB registrar noted that: “One of the factors responsible for this change is the totality of what makes the information age, which is still evolving as technology develops rapidly.

The onus of the responsibility lies on everyone to get prepared for the challenges of the information age by taking lifelong learning seriously and being willing to change as the circumstances unfold.”

The acting Vice Chancellor of KWASU, Prof. Shaykh-Luqman Jimoh, had earlier in his address expressed optimism that the lecture would broaden the horizon of the audience.

“Our educational institutions must become catalysts for transformation, preparing our graduates not just for the challenges of today, but for the rapidly evolving landscape of the digital age,”  the VC said.

JAMB’s registrar Ishaq Oloyede made the announcement on Tuesday, June 16, after the 20th policy meeting on admissions to tertiary institutions. The cut-off mark for polytechnics was pegged at 120, while that of Colleges of Education remains at 100 and above.

Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu on his own part said he has directed JAMB and tertiary institutions to proceed with the conduct of their 2020/2021 admissions which will commence in August.

Adamu said “As major stakeholders, we must jointly come up with reactions that would realign our programmes to these new realities. JAMB and tertiary institutions could take advantage of the current situation, consider candidates with previous years SSCE and other qualifying results, to proceed on with the admission process. Whatever arrangement that the country comes up within the long run will surely accommodate those who will be taking the examination when the opportunity to do so is worked out.”