The Federal Ministry of Education has clarified that students under 18 are not barred from taking the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) or National Examinations Council (NECO) exams.
Minister of State for Education, Dr. Yusuf Sununu, made this clarification in Abuja on Friday during a press briefing at the 2024 International Literacy Day (ILD) event.
This follows a statement by Education Minister Tahir Mamman on August 25, where it was reported that the government instructed WAEC and NECO to prevent underage students from taking exams. However, Sununu expressed disappointment over the public’s misinterpretation, explaining that Mamman was referring to the 18-year age requirement for entry into tertiary institutions, as practiced under the 6:3:3:4 education system.
“We have agreed that we are going to consider it as a work-in-progress. The National Assembly is working and we are also working.
“It was shocking to say that a university in this country gave admission to children at ages 10, 11 and 12 years. This is totally wrong.
“We are not saying that there are no exceptions, we know we can have talented students that have the IQ of an adult even at age 6 and 7, but these are very few.
“There must be a rule, and the ministry is looking at developing a guideline on how to identify a talented child, so that parents don’t say we are blocking their children’s chances.
“Nobody said no child will write WAEC, NECO or any other examination unless at age 18. This is a misconception and misrepresentation of what we have said,” NAN quoted him as saying.
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