Atiku flays government’s age limit for WASSCE, NECO

Says it belongs to Stone Age

Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in 2023 polls, Atiku Abubakar, has criticised Federal Government for introducing 18 years age limit on NECO and WAEC exams, calling it absurd and a barrier to scholarships.

Recall that the Federal Government banned individuals below 18 from participating in the NECO and WAEC exams. The ban was revealed by the Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman, during his appearance on Channels Television’s ‘ Sunday Politics programme.

Mamman stated that the Federal Government had instructed WAEC, responsible for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination; and NECO, which administers the Senior School Certificate Examination, to enforce the 18-year age requirement for candidates taking the exams.

But Atiku took to his verified Facebook page, yesterday, labeling the policy controversial. He called for universal condemnation from those who value intellectual freedom and accessibility. He stated: “Tinubu’s policy on age limit for tertiary education admission belongs in the Stone Ages.

“The recent policy of the Federal Ministry of Education, pegging age limits for entry to tertiary institutions is an absurdity and a disincentive to scholarship.

“The policy runs foul of the notion of delineation of responsibilities in a federal system of government such as we are practising, and gives a graphic impression of how the Tinubu government behaves like a lost sailor on a high sea.”

According to him, the Nigerian constitution puts education in the concurrent list of schedules, in which the sub-national government enjoys more roles above the Federal Government.

The former Vice President said the most effective global approach was to allow sub-national governments to establish their education laws or regulations.

“Therefore, it is extra-constitutional for the Federal Government to legislate on education like a decree.

“The best global standard for such regulation is to allow the sub-national governments to make respective laws or rules on education.

“It is discouraging that even while announcing this obnoxious policy, the government inadvertently said it had no plan to cater to specially gifted pupils. That statement is an embarrassment to the body of intellectuals in the country because it portrays Nigeria as a country where gifted students are not appreciated.”