The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board and the tertiary education stakeholders have approved the National Minimum Tolerable Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination score also known as the cut-off point for 2025 admission into the nation’s universities.
Also, the Federal Government reiterated its stand on the 16 years as a minimum for admission into tertiary institutions.
At this year’s annual policy meeting on admissions into tertiary institutions held in Abuja, on Tuesday, the meeting adopted 150 as the benchmark for admission into universities and 100 for polytechnics and colleges of education.
The meeting adopted 140 for colleges of nursing across the country.
This means that no tertiary institutions should admit students who score below the approved benchmarks, while institutions can still fix higher cut-off marks for their applicants.
Last year, 140 was adopted for universities and 100 for polytechnics and colleges of education.
The decision was adopted after the heads of the institutions voted.
The vice-chancellors voted for the benchmarks for universities, rectors for the polytechnics and provosts for the colleges of education.
The JAMB Registrar, Prof Ishaq Oloyede and the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, wanted the institutions to increase the minimum tolerable score to at least 160.
However, most of the heads of institutions were quite adamant about increasing the minimum tolerable scores.
During the conversation, the Vice-Chancellor of the Michael Lawrence University, Abuja, Prof Ernest Izevbigie, proposed 140, while that of Lighthouse University proposed 130.
Meanwhile, the Vice-Chancellor of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Prof Ayodeji Agboola, proposed 160, though he received minimal support.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Prof Owunari Georgewill, proposed 150.Prof Oloyede said all institutions which had proposed lower minimum scores must now increase their benchmarks to at least the agreed minimum points.“Every institution should maintain its own approved minimum,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government reiterated 16 years as the minimum age for admission into Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
Alausa, while declaring the meeting open, emphasised that the age benchmark was now official and non-negotiable.
He warned that any admission carried out outside the Central Admissions Processing System would be considered illegal.
“The issue of age at entry into tertiary institutions has generated much debate, but our position is clear.
“The entry age for admission into tertiary institutions is now officially pegged at 16 years.
“It was reduced from 18, which was to be effective from this year’s exercise, so the need for this compliance,” Alausa said.
He explained that the decision was guided by the need to strike a balance between academic readiness and cognitive maturity.
“Sixteen years of age for admission is non-negotiable. Institutions are hereby directed to ensure strict compliance,” he added.
Alausa noted that while the policy would be strictly enforced, exceptions could be made in rare and justifiable cases.
“We understand there may be a few exceptional cases, and provisions have already been made for legitimate exceptions, especially for gifted children or those with accelerated educational progress.
“However, this must be demonstrated and documented, and it must be justified,” Alausa said.
He also warned against attempts to manipulate age records to beat the new directive.
