Rainbow Newspaper Reporting ….
As controversy continues to trail the Federal Government’s policy on the age limit of 18 age to qualify for WASSCE and JAMB, the National Assembly has stepped into the controversy surrounding the Federal Government’s plan to set an age limit of 18 years for students to write the West Africa Senior Secondary School Certificate (WASSCE) examination.
The Senate and House of Representatives have both indicated that they will subject the issue to public hearings and scrutiny.
The Federal Government’s plan, announced by the Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, has been met with widespread criticism from various stakeholders, including former Vice President Abubakar Atiku, civil society organizations, and education experts. They have described the policy as archaic, draconian, and a barrier to academic freedom.
Atiku, in a statement, argued that the policy is unconstitutional and runs counter to the principles of federalism.
He also pointed out that the policy fails to consider the rights of gifted students and may lead to a decline in academic standards.
According to Vanguard other critics have argued that the policy is ill-conceived and will lead to confusion and disruption in the education sector. They have called for a review of the policy and for the government to engage in wider consultation with stakeholders.
The National Assembly’s intervention is seen as a positive step towards addressing the concerns of stakeholders and ensuring that any policy changes are made with due consideration for the impact on students and the education sector as a whole.
Meanwhile, Dr. Charles Marindoti, an education advocate, recently shared his thoughts on the academic background of Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, while discussing the federal government’s new policy on an 18-year age limit for taking WAEC and NECO exams. Marindoti’s comments, which were made in a viral video posted on the official X handle of NEWS CENTRAL TV on Monday, have sparked further debate on the policy’s implications
In his remarks, Dr. Marindoti revealed that after conducting some research on Professor Mamman, he discovered that the Minister graduated from university at the age of 29. This finding, according to Marindoti, offers some insight into why the Minister might consider the age limit policy to be reasonable.
Marindoti elaborated on the potential reasoning behind the policy, noting that if Professor Mamman graduated at 29, it suggests he may have passed JAMB, Nigeria’s university entrance exam, at around 24 years old. This timeline, Marindoti suggests, could explain why the Minister might support the idea of setting an age limit for secondary school exams.
Drawing from his own experience, Dr. Marindoti contrasted his educational journey with that of Professor Mamman. He mentioned that he completed WAEC at the age of 15 and graduated from university by the age of 23, which was still younger than when the Minister entered university. This comparison, Marindoti implied, highlights that intellectual capability, rather than age, should be the primary consideration for a student’s educational progress.
Marindoti argued that there is no harm in a child advancing through school if they possess the intellectual ability to do so, challenging the rationale behind the 18-year age limit. He emphasized that educational policies should be flexible enough to accommodate students who are capable of excelling at a younger age.
He said, “I went to do a little research about the current Minister of Education. I saw that he graduated from law university at the age of 29. If you do the maths, that means he probably passed JAMB at the age of 24. So, I understand why he might feel this is a plausible policy. I finished WAEC at the age of 15 and by the time I graduated at the age of 23, I was still younger than when the minister got into the university.
