To: The Registrar,  
Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB)  
National Headquarters, Bwari, Abuja, Nigeria  

PETITION AGAINST JAMB'S POLICY FOR CANDIDATES THAT TURN 16 AFTER SEPTEMBER 30    

We, the undersigned concerned citizens, parents, guardians, and impacted candidates, hereby request that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) review its policy regarding age eligibility for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).  Specifically, we demand for an immediate reconsideration of the decision to confiscate the results of applicants who turn 16 after September 30 of the examination year.

This regulation has unfairly denied many talented young children the opportunity to pursue further education, despite their academic excellence.  The arbitrary age cutoff harms hardworking students who meet all academic standards but fail owing to a minor technicality(age deficit).  

Consider the situation of a candidate (my son) born on October 2, 2009, whose scheduled delivery date was September 30, but the birth was merely delayed by two days owing to unforeseen circumstances (the doctor was absent).  This student, with no fault of his own, faces disqualification from obtaining their hard-earned UTME results due to an uncontrollable birth delay.  Such restrictive policies fail to account for real-life situations and, rather than promoting inclusivity, disenfranchise young minds from pursuing their academic goals while causing a separation between their mates born in the same year.

We believe that education is a fundamental right, and that admission to tertiary institutions should be based on academic performance rather than an arbitrary age limit.  While we recognize JAMB's dedication to upholding standards, we urge the board to allow applicants who turn 16 during the same year of the examination, keep their results and continue with the admissions process.  
We request the following:  

1. JAMB reconsiders and revises the age eligibility limit to give equal opportunity for all candidates.  

2. The results of impacted applicants to be released, allowing them to continue their studies without needless delay.  

3. Hold a stakeholder engagement with educators, parents, and lawmakers to develop a more equal and inclusive policy.

We are confident that JAMB, as a leading educational body, will fulfill its commitment to support Nigeria's youth aspirations while also providing a fair, transparent, and just system to all applicants.  We anticipate and look forward to your swift consideration to this situation.

Sincerely,
Patience Ufuomaoghene Oghoro
Lagos, Nigeria