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In a move that has sparked nationwide controversy, the Nigerian Minister of Education will be facing a major legal battle over the age restriction for writing the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Examinations Council (NECO) exams.
The policy, which mandates that students must be at least 18 years old to sit for these critical exams, has drawn the ire of education stakeholders across the country.
In an interview with Pulse Nigeria, Phrank Shaibu, Special Assistant to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Public Communication, expressed his strong opposition to the policy branding it as a "mark of wretched illiteracy" and a "political game" that threatens to jeopardise the future of Nigerian youths.
Shaibu pointed out that the policy is flawed and impractical, especially given the structure of Nigeria's education system.
"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.
He further criticised 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," Shaibu emphasised.
At the heart of his argument is the fact that a significant number of Nigerian students, especially those from rural areas, do not benefit from early childhood education.
READ ALSO: 'No more underage candidates in WAEC, NECO exams' - Minister declares
He explained that while a child typically reaches Senior Secondary School 3 (SS3) by the age of 16, the new policy would force them 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.
JAMB behind the policy - Shaibu
Shaibu went on to suggest that the age restriction policy is being driven by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), which according to him has transformed itself into a revenue-generating agency.
"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," he said.
He also highlighted the challenges faced by Nigeria's 274 universities, which admit only about 700,000 students annually, while more than 3 million students sit for the JAMB exam yearly.
According to Shaibu, improving the nation's educational infrastructure and expanding access to university education should be JAMB’s priority, rather than imposing arbitrary age limits.
The policy's potential to increase youth crime rates was another primary concern for Shaibu. He cited statistics showing that young people aged 16 to 25 are disproportionately involved in criminal activities.
"With this policy, the government is deliberately creating a crime scene in Nigeria by forcing young people into frustration," he warned.
"Maturity is a concept of the conscience, not age"
Instead of focusing on age, Shaibu suggested that maturity should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
"Maturity is a concept of the conscience. Age is not a parameter for measuring capability. We have leaders over 70 who cannot lead us properly," he argued.
Shaibu also dismissed the notion that only "gifted" children should be allowed to progress academically at a faster rate.
"Every child is gifted. There are no dull children anywhere in the world, only slow learners," he said, calling for more inclusive and flexible educational policies.
Shaibu confirmed that his team and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar plan to take the matter to court.
"We are preparing to challenge this in court, and we will be issuing a strong statement shortly," he affirmed.
With this lawsuit, Shaibu hopes to block the age restriction policy and highlight the broader issues plaguing Nigeria's educational system.