The Parents Teachers’ Association has said it is in support of the Federal Government’s decision to ban under-18 candidates from sitting for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination and the National Examination Council.
The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, announced on Channels Television’s ‘Sunday Politics’ programme that the Federal Government had instituted a new age policy for secondary school leaving examinations, setting the minimum age at 18.
This means underage candidates will no longer be allowed to sit for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination and the Senior School Certificate Examination, both crucial for advancing to tertiary education.
Speaking to The PUNCH, national president, PTA, said, “I expressed my support for the education policy. The minister is not introducing a new policy; it has always been part of the education system. When students sit for WASSCE or NECO at 18 years old, they have reached an age of maturity. Such exams are not for immature students or under 18. You shouldn’t expect underage students in universities or sitting WASSCE and NECO. That’s the standard we followed; even my children did not enter university before turning 18.
“If they are old enough, they will be fully prepared and mature enough to face the challenges that come with attending a higher institution. This is the correct approach; students should take their exams at 18.”
Also speaking, CEO, Flourishgate Consult, Mrs Dideolu Adekogbe, mentioned that the enforcement was long overdue and should be implemented with appropriate consequences.
She said, “If the National Policy on Education (NPE) is the guiding document for our nation’s education plan, then it should be followed to the letter—unless we decide to review it. As long as it remains unchanged, it must be fully implemented.
“I have no issue with a review, but in everything we do, we must consider the children who are most affected. If countries like Finland, Canada, and others are succeeding with their education systems, why can’t we, as a nation, get ours right? The core issue we face is that our education system is unsteady. If we choose to get it right now, we can finally move forward.”
The Head of School, Juniper Hill School, Surulere, Lagos, Mrs Ajibike Bakare,
pointed out the importance of balancing cognitive development with emotional maturity and criticised the rush to push children into school early.
Bakare called for enforcement to ensure children completed the necessary stages of education without disruptions from strikes. Additionally, she suggested that vocational training centres be established for those under 18 to acquire valuable skills during the interim period before university.
She said, “There’s also this rush to push children into primary school at age four and a half because they seem academically advanced. The focus is often on cognitive abilities, neglecting the affective and psychomotor development. Academic prowess alone is not enough; emotional maturity is crucial as well.”
“I believe the honourable minister and those who reviewed this policy might be considering the rise in vices at universities and attributing it to immaturity. However, it’s not always about age; sometimes it reflects societal issues or the environment from which these children come. It’s unfair to assume that underperformance is solely due to being under 18.”
She added, “On the other hand, enforcement should ensure that children complete Primary Six before progressing to secondary school. This also depends on secondary schools, as some children are taking NECO and WASSCE exams as early as age 14 or 15. This is a separate issue that needs to be addressed with secondary schools.”