The Federal Government has announced that individuals under the age of 18 are no longer permitted to participate in the National Examinations Council (NECO) and West African Examinations Council (WAEC) exams.
This was revealed by the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, during an appearance on Channels Television's 'Sunday Politics' program. Prof. Mamman stated that the government has instructed both WAEC, which conducts the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), and NECO, responsible for the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), to enforce the 18-year age requirement for candidates taking these exams.
He clarified that this is not a new policy. The age limit for candidates taking the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), managed by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), remains at 18 years. According to him, “It is 18 (years). What we agreed upon in our July meeting with JAMB was to allow this year to serve as a notice period for parents. JAMB will admit students below that age this year, but from next year, JAMB will strictly enforce the age requirement of 18 years for university admission in Nigeria."
Prof. Mamman emphasized that this is a long-standing policy, not a new development. He explained that if one calculates the years spent in school from early child care through to senior secondary school, students would be around 17 and a half years old by the time they are ready for university admission.
“So, we are not introducing a new policy, contrary to what some people are saying; we are simply reminding everyone of the existing regulations. From now on, NECO and WAEC will not permit underage candidates to sit for their exams. In other words, if a student has not spent the required number of years at the appropriate level of study, they will not be allowed to take the examination,” he concluded.
PunchNews Paper
Kindly Share This!!!
0 Comments