Faced with criticisms, FG shifts ground on 18 age limit

By Ologeh Joseph Chibu

The Federal Government has shifted at least an inch on the controversy surrounding its 18 year limit for University admission policy.

The Ministry of Education Tahir Mamman earlier set 18-year age limit for University admission a decision that has faced widespread criticisms from parents and scholars.

The central government on Friday said there is no age restrictions for taking the National Examination Council (NECO) and West African Examination Council (WAEC).

The Federal Government said it only restricted the age for sitting for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and entry into the university to 18 years beginning from 2025, and the decision was not binding on students sitting for examinations conducted by the National Examination Council (NECO) and West African Examination Council (WAEC).

Why the Federal Government has not totally shifted all grounds, it’s recent position indicated the contradictions in the policy itself and further exposes it’s shortcomings.

The Minister of State for Education, Dr Tanko Sununu, who spoke in Abuja on Friday during a press conference to herald the 2024 said children less than 18 can sit for the examinations.

Sununu spoke at the World Literacy Day with the theme “Promoting Multilingual Education: Literacy for Mutual Understanding and Peace”.

He 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

Speaking further he said eople 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.”

He said further “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.”