Nigerian universities have unanimously adopted 140 as the minimum cut-off mark for admission in the 2024/2025 academic session, while polytechnics and colleges of education pegged theirs at 100.
The institutions adopted the admission marks at the 2024 joint policy meeting on admissions into tertiary institutions and 4th edition of NATAP-M Awards, organised by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, in Abuja.
The event, which was well-attended by stakeholders, including vice chancellors of universities, rectors of polytechnics and provosts of colleges of education, as well as registrars of the institutions, also brought key changes to the admission process with the introduction of new entry age.
Minister of Education, Prof Mamman Tahir, who directed JAMB to peg the entry age for candidates seeking admission into higher institutions in 2024 at 18 years and above, was almost heckled by stakeholders as the audience descended into an uproar, murmuring over the minister’s directive before chorusing an emphatic “no” when he asked if they were on the same page.
According to him “It is clear that a child who, as expected is enrolled in basic school at the age of 6 and having undergone 12 years of education would be around 18 years old when being enrolled in a tertiary institution.
He added that information has revealed that the enrolment of underage candidates is inflicting serious damage on the university and the education system, hence, the need for enforcement of extant rules.
“I have also been informed about the surge in applications for immediate requests for a change of age to reflect higher age in anticipation of the imminent enforcement of the age policy. This again reflects dangerous games being played with the life and future of innocent children by those expected to nurture them. Flowing from this, JAMB is hereby instructed to admit only eligible students’ i.e those who have attained 18 years. Universities are advised to avoid recommending unqualified children for admission,” he said.
The minister however cave in to pressure from stakeholders when they insisted that the entry age for admission into tertiary institutions should be reduced to 16 years, for especially candidates who sat for the UTME in 2024.
On his part, JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, disclosed that every institution is at liberty to determine the minimum UTME score acceptable to it for admission noting that, for DE, each institution will determine the number of points required by it for direct entry admission.
According to Oloyede, the cut off marks were minimum entry qualifications and may not guarantee admission as institutions will most likely look out for the best candidates.
