The Federal Ministry of Education has made a U-turn on its earlier stance regarding students under the age of 18 taking the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) exams. In a recent clarification, the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Yusuf Sununu, assured Nigerians that no such ban has been implemented, addressing the confusion that arose following a statement made by the Education Minister, Prof. Tahir Mamman, on August 25th.
The clarification came during a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, at an event marking the 2024 International Literacy Day (ILD). Sununu explained that the misunderstanding was based on a misinterpretation of the remarks made by Minister Mamman, emphasizing that the government had not placed any restrictions on under-18 students sitting for these crucial national examinations.
Dr. Sununu expressed disappointment over the public misrepresentation of the earlier statement, highlighting that the minister’s comments were primarily focused on the appropriate age for entry into tertiary institutions, not on preventing students from taking secondary school exams like WAEC or NECO.
“What the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, was addressing was the entry age into higher institutions, which in line with the 6:3:3:4 educational system, recommends 18 years as the ideal minimum age for university admission. The notion that underage students would be barred from taking WAEC or NECO is a gross misconception,” Sununu said.
He added that while exceptions exist for exceptionally talented students with higher IQs, the ministry is working towards establishing clear guidelines to ensure that such children are recognized and their potential harnessed without blocking access for the average student. “We are aware that some students may possess the intellectual capacity to excel at a young age, but such cases are rare. We are developing a framework to properly identify and manage these gifted children,” Sununu noted.
A key point of concern, according to Sununu, was the trend of admitting children as young as 10, 11, and 12 years old into universities across Nigeria. “It was quite alarming to discover that some institutions in Nigeria were admitting children of these very young ages. This is not ideal for their psychological and social development,” Sununu remarked, reiterating the need for students to have the maturity necessary for university life.
He also stressed that while the government is not against the exceptional abilities of some students, the majority of young students may not have the maturity to handle university-level challenges. “There must be a standard rule to guide the system, and that is why we are collaborating with the National Assembly and other stakeholders to create more structured policies,” he added.
Addressing the widespread concerns of parents and educators, Dr. Sununu reiterated, “At no point did we say students under 18 years old cannot write WAEC or NECO. What we are working on is ensuring that students are well-prepared and mature enough to handle the rigors of tertiary education by the time they are admitted. The idea that exams like WAEC and NECO are restricted by age is a total misconception.”
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