By: Mercy Peter
The Federal Government Friday said there is no age restriction for sitting for the National Examination Council (NECO) and West African Examination Council (WAEC) examinations.
Minister of State for Education, Dr. Tanko Sununu, made the clarification in Abuja while briefing journalists on activities to herald the 2024 World Literacy Day with the theme: “Promoting Multilingual Education: Literacy for Mutual Understanding and Peace.”
The Minister said government only restricted the age for sitting for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and entry into the university to 18 years beginning from 2025.
He howver said the decision was not binding on students sitting WAEC and NECO.
Sununu said; “As regards this matter, we have made ourselves clear in different fora. But the issue kept recurring here and there. Actually, nobody among the two of us, the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, nor the Minister of State, stated anything about the age limit for WAEC, NECO or NABTEB.
“People just pick up some remarks the Minister made, misinterpreted the statements to imply that age restriction has been placed for WAEC and NECO examinations.
“What we have been mentioning in the past was the entry age for University, candidates sitting for the UTME. We have made this clear several times, and this is in line with the National Policy on Education.
“The document stated that a child is expected to enter Primary School at six years, and he’s expected to spend six years in that school making it 12 years, three years each in junior and senior secondary schools, making it 18 years. That’s what is contained in the National Policy on Education document.
“This is directly or otherwise related to the theme of this year’s World Literacy Day. The Policy further stated that a child should learn in the language of the immediate environment or mother tongue up till primary three before English language could be introduced in subsequent years. That has facilitated learning at that level because you can easily communicate,” added.
*Background*
In 1983, the Federal Government introduced the 6-3-3-4 education system, aimed at addressing the educational needs of its citizens and equipping youths with practical skills for self-reliance. More than two decades later, the system was modified into the Universal Basic Education (UBE) program, also known as the 9-3-4 system, with a curriculum designed to meet global standards.
However, experts have noted that the implementation of these policies has led to a concerning trend: the admission of underage children into secondary schools.
An increasing number of parents are pushing their children to complete their education at a very young age, encouraging them to skip primary five and six and directly enter Junior Secondary School. Ideally, students should graduate from secondary school at around 18, but many now finish as early as 16 or younger due to these accelerated paths.
This rush is also evident at the Senior Secondary level, where some parents encourage their children to take the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) while still in SS 2. As a result, students as young as 14, 15, or 16 are completing secondary education and gaining admission into universities.
This practice often leaves younger, less mature students in university environments where they lack parental supervision and the maturity required to navigate the challenges of higher education.
In response, the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, recently announced on Channels Television’s ‘Sunday Politics’ program that the Federal Government has set a new policy, requiring students to be at least 18 years old to take secondary school leaving exams. This applies to both the West African Senior School Certificate Examination and the Senior School Certificate Examination, crucial for entry into tertiary education.
