No Ban On Under-18s Taking WASSCE, NECO Examinations – FG

…Says It’s “Misrepresentation” Of Government’s Position

ABUJA, FCT, NIGERIA – The Federal Government has dismissed claims that students under the age of 18 are now prohibited from sitting for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations.

Dr. Yusuf Sununu, the Minister of State for Education, clarified this in Abuja on Friday, September 6, 2024, during the 2024 International Literacy Day event.

The confusion stemmed from comments made by the Education Minister, Tahir Mamman, on August 25, 2024. Many mistakenly interpreted his statement as a ban on underage students taking these critical examinations.

However, Dr. Sununu explained that Minister Mamman’s comments were centered on reinforcing the policy of 18 being the minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions under the 6:3:3:4 education system.

Sununu also revealed that the ministry is reviewing the guidelines concerning the admission of underage students into universities. This follows instances where children as young as 10, 11, and 12 were being admitted into higher education institutions.

However, the minister highlighted that while exceptions could be made for highly gifted students, there is no new policy barring students under 18 from taking WASSCE or NECO.The minister described the public misunderstanding as a “misrepresentation” of the government’s stance.

He reiterated that there is no blanket rule preventing students under 18 from sitting for these crucial examinations.