By Correspondent in Ado-Ekiti.
Photo credit: Google.
Aare Afe Babalola, founder of Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), has insisted that the university would maintain its policy of admitting students under the age of 18.
Babalola made this assurance during an interview with journalists in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
He criticized the federal government’s decision to prevent students younger than 18 from enrolling in university, calling the new policy unacceptable and regressive. Babalola argued that talented and gifted young individuals would be deprived of early opportunities to advance their careers.
He emphasized that universities should have the autonomy to make admission decisions, similar to practices in Western countries, rather than adhering to restrictive government mandates. Babalola contended that age should not be a factor in national development and warned against policies that hinder the progress of young citizens who could address the country’s challenges.
Babalola highlighted the success of ABUAD’s students, noting that some have entered the university at 15 and graduated with first-class honors by age 19. He criticized the federal government’s stance on minimum age requirements, arguing that it undermines the potential of young achievers.
“The issue of age should be a matter of discretion for universities,” Babalola said. “Maturity is not a function of age but of mindset and emotional intelligence. Children with exceptional academic abilities should not be denied opportunities due to age.”
He called on the Federal Government to respect university autonomy and allow institutions to admit students based on their academic potential rather than age restrictions, as practiced in countries like the UK, Australia, Norway, and South Korea.
Our recalls that Babalola’s comments follow the Federal Government’s recent directive, announced by Education Minister Professor Tahir Mamman, which prohibits students under 18 from taking examinations required for university admission. The policy also applies to examinations conducted by WAEC and NECO.
The Minister stated that the government’s directive mandates adherence to the 18-year age limit for university admissions, stressing that students must be at least, 18 years old to qualify for these examinations.
–Vanguard.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
