15-Year-Old Student Sues Education Ministry, JAMB, NUC Over Admission Age Policy

A 15-year-old student, Master Chinaemere Opara, has filed a lawsuit against the Federal Ministry of Education, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), and the National Universities Commission (NUC) over the government’s policy that restricts university admissions to applicants who are at least 18 years old.

The lawsuit was filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja by Opara’s father and guardian, Mr. Maxwell Opara, a lawyer, on October 14, 2024. The student, who is currently in Senior Secondary School 2 (SS2), argues that the age restriction policy is discriminatory and unconstitutional.

In the legal suit, Opara seeks six declarations, including that the policy violates his rights to education, peaceful assembly, and freedom of expression as guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights. He contends that the policy unlawfully limits his right to access higher education based on age rather than merit.

Opara also asks the court to set aside the policy and issue a perpetual injunction preventing the Ministry, JAMB, and NUC from enforcing the age limit. His father, in an affidavit, emphasized that the policy hinders his son’s academic ambitions, as the student plans to take the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), National Examination Council (NECO) exams, and JAMB in 2025, with hopes of enrolling in university for the 2025/2026 academic session.

The policy in question was introduced by the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, who announced in July that from 2025, candidates under the age of 18 would not be eligible to sit for the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE), a requirement for university admission. While the policy has sparked debate among education stakeholders and parents, Mamman later revised the minimum admission age to 16 for the current year.

When contacted, the Ministry of Education’s spokesperson, Mrs. Folasade Boriowo, stated that they had not yet been served with the court case and emphasized that discussions regarding the age limit policy are ongoing. She expressed surprise that legal action had been taken while consultations were still in progress.

JAMB and NUC representatives were unavailable for comment at the time of this report. The case is yet to be assigned to a judge for hearing.