Kuni Tyessi in Abuja
The Federal Government has abolished the controversial 18-year age benchmark for admission into tertiary institutions across the country.
The announcement was made by the new Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, who also hinted at a broader review of Nigerias education policies in his administration.
The decision, which is expected to affect the admission process for thousands of prospective students, marks a significant change in the nations education system, and comes on the heels of several reforms aimed at addressing challenges in the sector.
Alausa, speaking at his inaugural press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, said that the move to abolish the age limit was part of the governments ongoing effort to ensure that the countrys educational system is more inclusive and flexible.
While he outlined the governments plans to review broader educational policies, Alausa was firm in upholding the federal governments decision to invalidate over 22,700 degree certificates acquired by Nigerians from so-called fake universities in neighbouring Togo and Benin Republic.
The crackdown on these dubious qualifications remains a top priority for the Ministry.
There will be no reversal on the decision regarding the 22,700 certificates, Alausa said. We are committed to safeguarding the integrity of our education system.
The education ministers remarks have sparked a wave of reactions, with many stakeholders in the education sector and beyond eagerly awaiting further details of the impending policy review.
While many have welcomed the scrapping of the age benchmark, concerns remain over how such sweeping changes will be implemented across the countrys diverse educational institutions.
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