Federal Government 18-year age limit for WAEC and NECO exams faces lawsuit

Special Assistant to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu has threatened to file legal action against the Federal Government age limit for students to write West African Examinations Council and National Examinations Council (NECO) exams.

Speaking to Pulse Nigeria, Shaibu described as the WAEC, NECO age restriction policy as”mark of wretched illiteracy” and a “political game” that threatens to jeopardise the future of Nigerian youths.

“How can a minister wake up and say that until a child gets to 18, they cannot write their Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE)?” he questioned, arguing that such a restriction would delay students’ academic progress unnecessarily.

Citing the structure of Nigeria’s education system, Phrank said the policy is flawed and impractical also ciritising the tradition among education ministers to frequently change educational policies without proper assessment.

“Every Nigerian minister of education comes in and names or rechristens our educational policy, playing politics with our education. This is absolutely wrong,” Special Assistant to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said.

He said the age limit policy would force students who reaches Senior Secondary School 3 (SS3) by the age of 16 to wait for an additional two years before writing their exams, a move that he believes will lead to academic decline and increased rates of examination malpractice.

“By the minister’s understanding, that child should now withdraw and stay at home until they get to 18 before writing the exam. How do you think that child will pass the SSCE after such a long gap?” Shaibu asked rhetorically.

He pointed out that Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), which according to him has transformed itself into a revenue-generating agency is behind the new the Federal Government 18 year age restriction policy.

“JAMB now declares a profit of over ₦50 billion annually, but what do they do with the funds? Our universities are still overcrowded, and the infrastructure remains outdated,” Mr Shaibu told Pulse Nigeria in the interview.

In a related development, the Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman says the Federal Government after consultation with stakeholders is considering a review of the age limit policy for WAEC and NECO examinations.

He disclosed this during a tour of the Federal Government Academy, Suleja, Niger State, also known as National School for the Gifted hinted at the possibility of the exemption.