18-year age limit for NECO, WASSCE, varsities: Furore over new policy

By Oluseye Ojo, Lukman Olabiyi and Vivian Onyebukwa

The Federal Government’s announcement to raise the university admission age limit from 16 to 18 years has sparked intense debate among educators, parents, students, lawyers and other stakeholders in the country.

Mr. Tahir Mamman

Minister of Education, Prof. Tahiru Mamman, who made the announcement, argues that this change is in line with the 6-3-3-4 education system, which provides for six years of primary school, three years of junior secondary school, three years of senior secondary education, and four years of tertiary education.

It was revealed that one of the advantages of raising the admission age limit to 18 is that it allows students to mature mentally and emotionally before entering the university.

The new policy seems to align with what obtains in parts of Europe and North America.  In the United Kingdom for example, primary education starts at age 5 and continues until age 11, followed by secondary education from ages 11 to 16. Students then have the option to continue their education for an additional two years, from ages 16 to 18, in preparation for university.

Praises for policy

Some experts have noted that at 18, students are more likely to have a better understanding of their career goals and can make more informed decisions about their choice of study.  It is believed that this could potentially lead to higher retention rates and lower dropout rates, as students would be more committed to their chosen field of study.

A public affairs analyst, Mr. Muritala Sule, told Saturday Sun: “Indeed, in America, a child is not allowed in school until 5. What they do is kindergarten where they only go to play. Plenty of toys, and so on. It’s all closely supervised. You’ll normally make 17 to 18 before university because you do four years of primary, four years of junior high and four years of senior.

“But, there is what they called Gifted Children programme, in which exceptionally brilliant ones are exposed to higher knowledge than their mates. They also invite them to a Junior Honours Society where their likes are treated specially. Just to nurture their gifts. Such may be even invited to universities before the normal age. Sometimes, 13. But, they are closely monitored to see how they are coping.”

The Public Relations Officer of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, Abiodun Olanrewaju, told Saturday Sun that the institution knew what to do when a memo to the age limit is received by the university.

According to him, “The 18 years age limit to get admission to university is also applicable to sitting for WAEC and NECO. But we have not received a memo to that effect. Once we received the directives, we know what to do.

“By and large, you must understand that there are some hurdles that a student must cross before getting admission to study in the university.  The hurdles include passing WAEC and NECO as well as Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). It is after the students have crossed the hurdles that they will come to the university.

“Actually, I must say it loud and clear that there is a lot of advantages in the policy. The children will have some unquantifiable advantages, including mental functionality, and mental maturity, 

“Prof Babs Fafunwa, who came up with 6-3-3-4, is not mad. He was a sound and solid educationist. In some developed countries,  if a child is not 18, he or she cannot enter university. Is a child of 14 years mentally mature to accommodate the rigour of the university environment?

On the delay being caused by incessant strike by academic and non-academic staff for students, Olanrewaju argued that industrial actions are circumstantial.

The Commissioner for Education in Ogun State, Prof Abayomi Arigbabu, who is a former vice chancellor, Tai Solarin University of Education, told Saturday Sun that there is nothing wrong with the policy of the Federal Government because it is to uphold the 6-3-3-4 system of education in the country.

“The issue is that people are always emotional about things without considering the pros and cons of the issue. If you look at the way the Nigerian system is structured, it is structured in such a way that children are supposed to be in school for a certain period.  In other words, they are supposed to enter school at the age of six.

“So, a child enters school at the age of six and should be in primary school for six years. He would finish at the age of 12, and then enter secondary school at the age of 12.

“He will spend three years in junior classes and another three years in the senior classes. He would finish at 18. Under normal circumstances, that child should be ready for university at the age of 18.

“When policies are made, they are made for the generality of the people. Of course, you can have exceptional cases. You can have a situation whereby you would have gifted children, and you would know they are gifted children. We have a way of handling that. But for the generality of the people, a child should be ready for university at 18.”

“Those who planned the curriculum, if they knew children could finish earlier than six years, they won’t make primary school six years. If they knew they could finish in four years, it could have been a four-year programme. 

He stated that what the Federal Government is trying to do could have advantage that would work for Nigerians, which would be in sync with what is obtainable in the United States and United Kingdom.

“Even when you go outside the country, educational progress is also measured by age, especially primary and secondary school as well as age of entering university.

“There is no need to make noise about the policy. It is a policy that will make the educational system work in the country.”

Uproar over policy

But some stakeholders have also spoken strongly against the new policy.

Many are of the opinion that delaying university admission until 18 would prolong a student’s time in the education system, and could further contribute to the problem of overcrowded classrooms and limited resources.

They contended further that some students may be academically ready for university at the age of 16 and would be forced to wait two more years by the policy, which could probably stunt their intellectual growth.

It was further gathered that there are currently 15 and 16-year-old students in Nigeria who are in their final year of secondary school, known as SSS3, but are unable to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) due to the new age limit. These students are now faced with the dilemma of either staying at home for another year or two before they can sit for the UTME or seeking alternative educational pathways

A social media commentator,  Soji Oni said: “While I agree with the 18 years as minimum age of entry into the university, I disagree with the implementation.

“What the government should have done is regulate the age of entry into secondary school to a minimum of 12 years from now and allow those who have passed that stage to continue with their education. There are hundreds of thousands of children, if not millions, between 14 and 15 years, who have already completed senior secondary school with good SSCE results.

“Asking such children to wait until the next three to four years to further their education is definitely counterproductive. It is a sure invitation to unwanted pregnancies, cybercrimes (yahoo-yahoo), thuggery and other forms of criminality.

“If you did not regulate their age of entry into secondary school, regulating their age of entry into the university is tantamount to an ambush.”

Ambassador Abayomi Mumuni, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is against the policy.

He has sent a message to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prevail on the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, from banning students below the age of 18 from writing West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Examinations Council (NECO)

His words: “I am appealing to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to stop the Minister from implementing such obnoxious policy. It will cause more harms than the expected results.

“This policy will reduce access to educational opportunities. Restricting students under 18 from participating in WASSCE could hinder their progression in the education system, delaying their transition to higher education or vocational training.

“It will also increase school dropout rates. Young students who feel they are unable to take the examinations may lose motivation to continue their education, leading to increased dropout rates.

“Also, the policy will lead to delayed career aspirations. Students may face an extended period before they can enter tertiary institution or vocational training, affecting their career prospects and long-term earning potential.

The Secretary-General, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Dr Mike Ike-Ene, said: “Now, if students are becoming too young for university, research needs to be conducted. Based on my observations, extending the timeline to 2024 won’t be effective. If we have the foresight, it won’t work.

“My suggestion is that the government should have set a policy to take effect six years from today, or from September of this year when the new session starts. They could mandate that children must be at least six years old to enter primary one.

“My concern is why the sudden change? For example, children who will turn 16 in the next two or three years and finish school will be denied university admission. This is unfair and could lead to lawsuits, especially considering gifted children who accelerate through primary school.”

Parents, educationists speak

Prof. Ifeyinwa Nsude of the Department of Mass Communication, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki Nigeria, agreed with some aspect of the policy, noting that there are adverse effects of admitting underage students into the university.

“They are underage, not mature to be in the university where they are not under the tutelage of their parents. That is why most of them are always intimidated by some lecturers and university staff because they don’t know their left from their right. That is why some of them too don’t know when they are already initiated into cults, and when they are initiated they don’t know how to come out.”

“But what if the child did not make his SSCE the first time, and maybe second time, and he is going to 20 years or thereabouts? That is going to create more problems. But if they had stopped at university, I will support that. In education we talk about maturity and learning. They might be very brilliant, but at the end of the day you would see the lacuna.”

Dr. Anthony Baiyewu, Director, King Emmanuel Schools, Lagos applauded the policy. He believes that the policy pronouncement will be beneficial if properly handled. “Hitherto for a long time, minimum admission age to university is 16 years against the proposed 18 years. In America, the ideal age is 21 years. Also asking them to write SSCE and NECO at 18 conforms with the standard in America. This policy will lead to more mature students being admitted to higher institutions. It allows for a more customized and rewarding learning experience.”

“But in my school, 43 students were promoted to SSS3 and just five of them would be 18 by next year May/June, the obvious gap is 38. The management of this gap is of paramount concern. Presently, the budgetary allocation to education in Nigeria falls short of the UNESCO standard. Inadequate funding will lead to government not having the financial, logistics and political power to fill the gap. The schools, especially private schools would need to create or strengthen their entrepreneurial activities to accommodate their students.”

Sadiq Ibrahim, outgoing principal of Laureates College, Lagos, also applauded the policy. He said, “For us who went through that kind of training, we know the benefit. We know what is good for them. So even for us, if you come here underage, we will not accept you for any reason. We take mature students who are ready for the learning of their age. That is why you find them putting up all kinds of abnormal behaviour because they are not mature.”

Mrs. Roseleen Folarin, a parent, described the government’s education policy statement as ambiguous. “Entry into university is pegged at 18 years. Yet a child cannot sit for SSCE and NECO until the child is 18 years. Therefore, the child cannot even enter university at 18 years, because at 18, the child just qualified to write SSSE and NECO. I don’t see any sense in the policy. A child should be allowed to develop at his or her God-given pace. Some children develop faster than others. Some have very high IQs. Should the government now be the one to draw such children back? The answer should be a big no.”

She regretted that the supervision of education in Nigeria has been placed in the hands of educationally backward people. “Those who hate education, and are opposed to education. Those who want to draw other educationally advanced people back. Those who do not want their own children to go to school. This is an aberration. The education ministry should be placed in the hands of those who value education; those who are visionary and forward thinking.”

For Olori Ameenah Matemilola, another parent, it is more like a government instruction.  “I am not going to say that a child who is smart should remain in a class. It will even bring that child down because once a child already knows all, there is no point of repeating a class. There are children that are very smart and we can’t take that away from them. So if the child is really smart, and is getting on in class like that, and finishes at the age of 15, there is nothing else you can do to stop him. You are not going to ask that child to repeat the class until the child gets to 18.”

Conflicting rules on 6-3-34 system, admission to FG unity schools

Some have also pointed out the inconsistencies and conflicting laws in the education sector.

For instance, the 6-3-3-4 system indicates that a secondary school pupil would be 17 by the time he or she is writing the school certificate and university matriculation examinations, which means he or she could be admitted to the university later that year.

Meanwhile, the official policy of federal government-owned unity secondary schools in the country is to give admission to pupils as young as 10-year-old.

The official website of the National Examinations Council (NECO), the body that conducts the National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) for admission into JSS 1, stipulates that for its last examination into federal unity schools which held on April 24 this year, “only final year pupils of primary schools who shall not be less than 10 years by September, 2024 are eligible.”

With that policy, secondary school pupils would be 16 by the time they are writing the school certificate and university matriculation exams.

It’s illogical, infringes on children’s rights to education – Lawyers

Meanwhile some lawyers have come down hard on the minister and the policy.

Babatunde Awe, a rights activist and legal practitioner, criticized the new policy as both illogical and contrary to established views on child development and learning.

He argued that the policy infringes on children’s constitutional right to education, highlighting that maturity and learning capabilities are distinct and should not be conflated.

Awe pointed out that while some adults struggle with basic math, young children can excel in complex subjects.

He emphasized that learning is a personal journey and policies should enhance, not restrict, educational opportunities, especially for gifted children.Another lawyer and activist, Mojeed Adedapo Oduwole, condemned the policy, attributing its emergence to the failures of successive governments.

He recounted that in the past, the lack of government tertiary institutions led to a high rate of unsuccessful admissions.

He also criticized the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) for failing students, thereby contributing to a lack of educational opportunities in line with Section 18 of Nigeria’s Constitution.

Oduwole noted that competitive admission processes and age restrictions in job applications create obstacles for graduates, particularly those who might be older due to delays in gaining admission.

He argued that exceptional students who might otherwise benefit from accelerated education are disadvantaged by age-based policies.

Oduwole also cited examples like former Lagos State Governor Akinwumi Ambode and David Balogun, emphasising that exceptional students should not be penalized for their advanced abilities.

He contended that the policy violates Section 18(1) of the Constitution, which guarantees equal educational opportunities and could be seen as discriminatory under Section 42(2).

Chijioke Ifenkwe, another lawyer, argued that the policy potentially infringes on children’s educational rights.

He questioned the rationale behind the decision, especially at a time when youth engagement in academics is declining and national examination results are poor.

He found the policy to be illogical and detrimental both legally and morally.

Another lawyer and former Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja branch, Dave Ajetomobi said pegging age for writing of WAEC and NECO has very grave implications for educational development of the southern part of the country.

“It is the south that considers education as a tool for development. The areas where they have highest number of out-of-school children have no problem with such policy because even if the age is pegged at 20 years, it doesn’t matter. But this policy seems to have been designed to hold back particular parts of the country down to enable the other parts that are not yet in the race to catch up.

“Fortunately, education is on the concurrent list and states of the south can formulate and follow their own policies. It is sad that such policy is being put in place under a Southern President, maybe as a condition for re-election. But it is not in the best interest of the country.”

A psychiatrist’s questions on policy

Professor Olayinka Omigbodun, first female professor of psychiatry in Nigeria and the immediate past Provost, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, is a mental health professional, and a psychiatrist, with specialisation in children and youth.

She told Saturday Sun that she has several unanswered questions.  She said: “Apart from academics, there are many other areas that help a child to develop and mature and to be more intelligent, like music. Learning how to play the piano, not only helps overall maturity but also encourages discipline, and stimulates the brain, thereby encouraging brain health, which is so essential for the journey of life.

“Brain health, according to the World Health Organisation, is the state of brain functioning across cognitive, sensory, social-emotional, behavioural and motor domains which allow a person to realize full potential over the life course. Learning to sing and play the drums, learning to draw and paint, sports and games, reading story books and not just academic books all encourage brain health, help to develop academic, emotional, social intelligence which are all important and not just academic performance. These will also help young people discover their talents of music, sports, and art.

“Studies reveal that there is a direct relationship in performance at university level and the number of story books that a child read, particularly in early childhood.”

Omigbodun advocated massive education research that would be co-designed by government with stakeholders.

“And I have several unanswered questions. On this policy, did the government carry stakeholders along? What research did the government base the policy on?  Then, will the policy work in every part of Nigeria?

“We are at the age of setting our priorities correctly. We need to prioritise constant research and improvement of the quality of primary and secondary education in the country.

“To implement a policy like this, you need research evidence. You need pilot projects. They can pick some regions in the country and try the policy there to test its workability and impact.  Then, there should be a transition period for the policy to be implemented and not a fire brigade approach. The transition period can be used to educate parents, teachers, policy makers, educationists, students on the importance of this new policy which had been built on evidence.

“Without this, it just gives room to more corruption whereby parents would cut corners for their children to beat the age limit. Also, the government needs to focus on the improvement of primary and secondary education systems and should implement evidence-based policies.”

The post 18-year age limit for NECO, WASSCE, varsities: Furore over new policy appeared first on The Sun Nigeria.