The Founder of Meclones Group and education expert, Ebenezer Mbamalu, has expressed deep concern over the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) policy restricting candidates below 16 years from gaining admission into tertiary institutions, describing it as a “copy-and-paste policy” that unfairly penalises young learners.

The policy, announced by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, on July 8, 2025, during a JAMB policy meeting in Abuja, sets 16 years as the minimum age for admission, while requiring underage candidates who sit for the examination to score at least 80 percent.

Speaking in an interview with The Guardian at Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos State, Mbamalu criticised the policy, arguing that it punishes students who were not responsible for their early enrolment in school. He noted that despite some candidates scoring above the 80 percent benchmark, many were denied admission due to age restrictions.

“About 599 candidates scored above 80 percent, but only 85 were admitted, leaving 514 stranded. I call it ‘on the streets’ because no national institution can take them due to their age,” he said.

He described the situation as troubling, warning that it leaves bright students without academic direction. “It is worrisome to see brilliant minds roaming the streets simply because the system shut its doors on them,” he added.

Mbamalu also criticised the policy as a borrowed concept from Western countries without proper adaptation to Nigeria’s realities. “I call it copy and paste policy because it was not properly thought through. In most Western countries, the benchmark age is 18, but they have a structured system that tracks children from the point of entry into school. Here, the children are made scapegoats,” he said.

He argued that children should not be penalised for decisions made by parents and school owners, noting that many are enrolled early due to socio-economic pressures. “As a school owner, I know that when parents pay high fees, they expect results. Schools then push children ahead academically.

You see a child who should be playing at a certain stage already learning advanced concepts. Yet, neither the parents nor the schools are sanctioned. Instead, the child is punished at the end of the journey,” he explained.

Highlighting broader systemic challenges, Mbamalu referenced the 2025 WAEC English Language examination, where some students reportedly used torchlights due to poor electricity supply. “That experience leaves psychological scars.

When students write exams under such conditions, they internalise the idea that hardship is normal. In the long term, it affects empathy and societal values,” he said.

He warned that if such trends continue, future policymakers may emerge from a generation accustomed to systemic failures.

On solutions, Mbamalu advocated for reforms at the foundational level of education. He proposed enforcing minimum age requirements for entry into primary and secondary schools, suggesting that candidates for common entrance examinations should be at least 10 or 11 years old.

He also recommended sanctions for schools that admit underage pupils and called for the establishment of a centralised system, similar to the National Identification Number (NIN), to track children’s ages from birth.

“If NIN is issued at birth and properly enforced, the problem will be addressed at its root,” he said.

Mbamalu further stressed the need for government to provide free basic education, as practised in many developed countries, and to partner with private schools to expand access and improve quality.

According to him, addressing the challenge of out-of-school children requires honest data and strong collaboration between the public and private sectors.

“Private schools are everywhere across the country. Government should partner with them, set standards, and provide support to ensure quality education,” he said, adding that inadequate funding often leads to the employment of unqualified teachers.

Describing the current policy as “wicked and unfair,” Mbamalu argued that authorities failed to create alternative pathways for affected students. “Some of these students scored as high as 330, yet they are left idle at home.

If they retake the exam, they may not perform as well because they have lost academic momentum,” he noted.

He warned that prolonged idleness exposes such students to negative influences. “We must ask: what are they doing at home? Who is guiding them? What kind of content are they exposed to? A policy should not disrupt lives without providing solutions,” he said.

Mbamalu urged the government and JAMB to review the policy and create mechanisms for universities to accommodate qualified underage candidates.

Assessing the current administration’s performance in education, he commended efforts to improve lecturers’ welfare, reduce strikes, and introduce the student loan scheme. However, he criticised the disproportionate focus on tertiary education. “If the same attention given to tertiary institutions is extended to foundational and secondary education, the outcomes will be far better,” he said.

On graduate unemployment and brain drain, Mbamalu attributed the challenges to broader systemic issues, including economic hardship and corruption. He emphasised the need for comprehensive reforms that address basic needs such as education costs, housing, and food security to create a more conducive environment for employment.

He said, “When people have provision for shelter, as it is done abroad where you can have mortgages for 20 years, all over the world they plan mortgages.”

“Somebody earning 70 thousand Naira in this country—when will he build a house? And you’re saying there won’t be corruption? Corruption is killing everything,” he noted.

Speaking on technology adoption in education, he noted that many schools lack the financial capacity to invest in digital infrastructure, calling for government-backed loans to support technological development.

“Technology cannot work when you don’t have the financial capacity. It is pulling us back because most Western countries have embraced CBT. It is still evident today that the reason WAEC CBT cannot hold widely is financial capacity of the schools,” he stated.

He concluded by highlighting the vision of Meclones Academy, which integrates Nigerian and British curricula, promotes teacher training, and aims to nurture future leaders through quality education.