Age Requirement When Using Savings Bond Interest for Education Expenses

In 1992 my late mother purchased some EE savings bonds in both our names (me as POD) and last year I cashed them and opened 529 accounts for my kids

In order to deduct the interest income for doing that, does the age requirement state that the person claiming the deduction had to be 24 when the bonds were issued OR that the bond purchaser had to be 24 when they were issued?

Thanks for any help or clarification