The Federal Government has mandated that individuals under the age of 18 are no longer eligible to participate in the National Examinations Council (NECO) and West African Examinations Council (WAEC) exams.
This directive was confirmed by the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, during an appearance on Channels Television’s ‘Sunday Politics’ program.
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Prof. Mamman emphasized that WAEC, which oversees the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), and NECO, responsible for the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), have been instructed to enforce the 18-year age limit for candidates.
“The Federal Government has made it clear that from now on, NECO and WAEC will not allow underage children to sit for their exams,” Mamman stated. He also reiterated that the age limit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), remains at 18 years.
“It is 18 years. What we did at the meeting with JAMB in July was to allow this year as a grace period for parents. However, from next year, JAMB will insist that all candidates meet the age requirement of 18 years before applying to university in Nigeria,” Mamman explained.
The Minister clarified that this is not a new policy but a reinforcement of existing regulations. “Even if you calculate the number of years students spend in school, from early childhood education to senior secondary school, it adds up to about 17 and a half years, making them eligible for university admission at around 18 years,” he noted.
Mamman dismissed claims that the policy is new, stating, “We are simply reminding people of what has always been in place.” He further stressed that underage students will no longer be permitted to take NECO and WAEC exams if they have not completed the required years of study at their current education level.
