The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, announced on Monday that the Nigerian government has introduced a new policy requiring students to be at least 18 years old before taking secondary school leaving examinations.
In response, the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) criticized the Federal Government’s decision to prohibit candidates under 18 from sitting for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examination Council (NECO) exams.
Prof. Mamman stated that this directive would apply to the West African Examinations Council, which conducts WASSCE, and the National Examinations Council, which administers the SSCE.
It was also disclosed that candidates must be at least 18 years old to take the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, overseen by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
However, NUT Secretary-General, Dr. Mike Ene, expressed concerns in an interview with The PUNCH, arguing that societal changes, such as early enrollment in crèches due to economic pressures, make it impractical to restrict educational progress based on age.
“The only way this policy could work is if it starts from the primary school level.
In the past, children had to pass basic readiness tests, like touching the opposite ear by reaching over their head, before starting school.
But now, economic pressures have led to children being enrolled in crèches early, and they begin learning quickly.
You can’t stop this natural learning process, as the brain is designed to develop continuously; halting it could cause stagnation.”
Dr. Ene criticized the policy as poorly thought out, noting that it fails to account for exceptional students who might be 16 years old in their final year of secondary school (SS3).
“What are these students supposed to do? Wait for two more years? This policy is likely to face legal challenges.
The government needs to rethink this thoroughly,” he remarked.
The NEW REVIEW earlier reported that the Minister of Education argued that 18 is the appropriate age for a child to be ready for university admission.
“It is 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 admit students below 18 years old this year, but starting next year, the age requirement of 18 will be strictly enforced for university admissions in Nigeria.”
Mamman also emphasized that this policy aligns with the typical educational progression.
He explained, “If you calculate the standard educational trajectory—from early childhood care through primary, junior secondary, and senior secondary school—you’ll find that students are typically around 17 and a half years old by the time they are ready for university admission.”
