The Age of Absurdity: Nigeria’s Misguided University Age Restriction Policy
By Samuel Olakanmi Falade
The federal government of Nigeria’s policy of barring individuals under 18 from entering university is a laughable and misguided attempt at regulating education. It’s a case of “one size fits all” approach, which is as foolish as trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.
Let’s start with the glaring examples of child prodigies like Ruth Lawrence, who entered Harvard at age 10 and earned a Ph.D. in mathematics at 18, Michael Kearney, who entered the University at age 10 and graduated at 14, Sho Yano, who entered the University at age 9 and earned a Ph.D. in molecular genetics at 18. These exceptions to the rule prove that age is just a number and that some individuals are ready for university-level education much earlier than others.
The policy tramples on the right to education enshrined in Section 18(1) of the sacrosanct Nigerian Constitution, which provides that government must provide equal and adequate educational opportunities at all levels.
If educational opportunities are not available to those that are ready, the government will be denying its citizens the very tool that could empower them to break free from the shackles of ignorance.
The policy turns a blind eye to the legal fact that minors can enter into contracts for necessaries, which includes education.
By denying underage individuals access to university, the government is essentially saying that education is not a necessary aspect of their lives.
Whoever is responsible for such policy has blissfully failed to consider the reality of strikes and educational imbalance in the Nigerian government universities, which can lead to students wasting years of their lives waiting for the system to get its act together.
It is like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic – a futile exercise in futility. Worse still, the government failed to involve key stakeholders and experts in the educational sector in the policymaking process, a classic case of flying blind without a compass.
Learning is not strictly about the nominal age of an individual; it is about the age of the mindset, upbringing, intelligence, and emotional readiness.
By imposing a blanket age restriction, the government is essentially making poorly informed, ineffective, and potentially harmful policies that lack credibility, accountability, and broad support, ultimately resulting in negative consequences for the country.
Moreover, education is not the only path to success in life.
By denying underage individuals access to university, the government is preventing them from exploring their options and finding their true calling. If I must add, the policy is also discriminatory, as it denies opportunities to individuals based solely on their age. It’s a clear case of “ageism,” which is just as reprehensible as racism or sexism.
Instead of making a straightjacket policy, the government should allow universities to use their discretion in admitting students. After all, one man’s meat is another man’s poison.
A better solution would be to conduct mindset, mental, psychological, behavioural, adaptability and emotional tests in addition to academic tests, irrespective of the age, to ensure that students are truly ready for university-level education.
Finally, the federal government’s policy is irrelevant, costly and a useless endeavor that will only serve to stifle the growth and development of Nigeria’s youth. It’s time to “go back to the drawing board” and come up with a more inclusive and effective policy.
Samuel Olakanmi Falade is Human Right Activist and Former Chairman NBA Ado Ekiti