The Federal Government has officially prohibited anyone under the age of 18 from taking the National Examinations Council (NECO) and West African Examinations Council (WAEC) exams.
Prof. Tahir Mamman, Minister of Education, made the remark during his appearance on Channels Television’s ‘Sunday Politics’ show.
Prof. Mamman added that the government has directed WAEC, which administers the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), and NECO, which oversees the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), to enforce the 18-year-old age limit for exam candidates. He highlighted that this order is not a new policy, but rather a reaffirmation of current regulations.
The Minister went on to state that the age restriction for applicants taking the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board’s (JAMB) Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) remains 18 years.
He remarked, “It has been 18 years; during our meeting with JAMB in July, we agreed to allow this year as a grace period for parents.” This means that JAMB will allow students under the age of 18 this year, but the 18-year-old age requirement would be severely enforced for university admissions in Nigeria beginning next year.
Prof. Mamman further noted that this policy is consistent with the average educational trajectory. He pointed out: “If you calculate the standard duration for a child’s education—from early child care through primary school, junior secondary school, and senior secondary school—you’ll find that students typically reach 17 and a half years old by the time they are ready for university admission.”
He continued by stating that NECO and WAEC will no longer let minor candidates to appear for their exams. “In other words, if a student has not completed the requisite number of years at the appropriate level of study, they will not be permitted to take the exams,” according to him.
