Age restriction: 15- year old drags, Ministry of Education, JAMB, NUC to court

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Master Chinaemere Opara, a 15-year-old Senior Secondary School (SSS) student, has taken legal action against the Federal Ministry of Education, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), and the National Universities Commission (NUC) over Nigeria's policy that restricts university admission to applicants who are at least 18 years old. 

The lawsuit was filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja through his father, Maxwell Opara, a lawyer, who is acting as his guardian.

Opara argues that the policy is discriminatory and unconstitutional, violating his right to freedom of expression under the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and People's Rights. He contends that the age restriction infringes on his right to equal access to education and public service, and that his rights to peaceful assembly and association should not be limited by his age.

The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1512/2024, seeks a declaration that the age restriction policy is unconstitutional, as well as an order for the policy to be set aside. Opara's legal team also requests an injunction to prevent any further interference with his rights by the Ministry, JAMB, or NUC.

Opara, currently in SS 2, plans to write his West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), National Examination Council (NECO) exams, and JAMB in 2025, with the aim of gaining admission to a university in the 2025/2026 academic session. His father stated that this policy could unfairly prevent his son from pursuing higher education despite being academically qualified.

The policy in question, which reportedly disallows admission of students under the age of 16 into Nigerian universities, has sparked debates about its fairness, especially regarding academically advanced students like Chinaemere.

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