The President Bola Tinubu-led government has bowed to pressure from Nigerians against the government’s decision banning tertiary institutions in the country from admitting prospective students under the age of 18.

The Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, announced the reversal of the 18 years tertiary institution admission benchmark on Thursday during the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) 2024 policy meeting.

Mamman announced the reversal following objections from education stakeholders including institution heads, registrars and admission officers.

SaharaReporters earlier reported that Mamman earlier at the JAMB policy meeting declared the ban on admission for candidates under the age of 18 into tertiary institutions across the country.

The minister said that the 18-year benchmark is in line with the 6-3-3-4 system of education, but noted that the Ministry of Education is extending skills training to primary school pupils who may not secure admission into tertiary institutions.