The Federal Government enforces a new age restriction for candidates taking WAEC and NECO exams, sparking discussions on its impact on students and educational access across Nigeria.
It has been declared by the Nigerian Federal Government that students below 18 years of age are disqualified from taking part in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and The National Examinations Council’s (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination(SSCE). These exams are conducted by the West African Examinations Council(WAEC), respectively.
The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman revealed this instruction on the Sunday Politics show aired by Channels Television.
According to Prof. Mamman, the application of the 18-year age restriction for these tests is not a novel approach but rather an affirmation of preexisting rules that have been in existence for quite some time.
Mamman clarified that applicants seeking admission to Nigerian universities must meet the minimum age requirement of 18 from next year, as per our decision during the meeting with JAMB in July. Nevertheless, we decided to announce it for parents this year so they can prepare accordingly. This step is taken to ensure students’ preparedness and maturity level before pursuing higher education.
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The minister emphasized that adherence to the education schedule, spanning from early childhood through senior secondary school, would result in a student being prepared for university admission at approximately 17 and a half years old.
Contrary to some people’s beliefs, we are not introducing a new policy but simply reminding individuals of the existing one. Moving forward, NECO and WAEC have decided to disallow underage students from taking their exams. This implies that pupils who haven’t completed the recommended years in school as outlined by the curriculum will be prohibited from sitting for these essential tests.
Furthermore, the minister has affirmed that the stipulated age limit for individuals sitting for Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board’s (JAMB) Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) will persist at 18 years.
It is anticipated that this policy implementation will bring Nigeria’s educational system in line with global benchmarks, guaranteeing students are suitably equipped both intellectually and personally for progression to advanced education.
