As outrage continues to path the Federal Authorities’s determination to bar college students under 18 years from writing the West African Senior Faculty Certificates Examination (WASSCE) and Senior Secondary Certificates Examination (SSCE), there are robust indications that the Nigerian authorities might have bowed to strain.
The federal government introduced on Thursday that distinctive college students under 18 could also be allowed to sit down for WASSCE and SSCE.
Minister of Training, Prof. Tahir Mamman, hinted at the opportunity of the exemption throughout a tour of the Federal Authorities Academy, Suleja Niger State often known as Nationwide Faculty for the Gifted alongside Minister of State for Training, Dr. Tanko Sununu.
The Minister was requested if the 18-year age restrict would apply to a faculty that raises clever college students, and replied, “It might not and we’re going to develop a standards to information what we’ll name gifted kids.”
Final week, the Federal Authorities formally barred people beneath 18 from taking part within the Nationwide Examinations Council (NECO) and West African Examinations Council (WAEC) examinations.
Whereas showing on a tv programme, Training Minister, Prof. Tahir Mamman defined that the federal government had instructed WAEC, which conducts the WASSCE, and NECO, which oversees the SSCE, to implement the 18-year age requirement for examination candidates.
He emphasised that this directive isn’t a brand new coverage however a reaffirmation of present rules.
Nevertheless, distinguished Nigerians have faulted the choice together with the Chancellor of Afe Babalola College, Ado Ekiti, Aare Afe Babalola, SAN.
The elder statesman and famend authorized practitioner questioned why the training of a kid who had handed all pre-qualification necessities for admission into tertiary establishments needs to be truncated on the altar of age.
“This shouldn’t be so as a result of age isn’t maturity,” he stated.
