The Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, has announced a new directive emphasizing the enforcement of an age requirement for students taking secondary school leaving exams in Nigeria.
Speaking on a television program, Mamman declared that candidates under the age of 18 would no longer be eligible to sit for key examinations such as the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), which are administered by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) respectively.
Mamman reiterated that this age limit also applies to the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), managed by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
He clarified that, although candidates under 18 years of age will be allowed to take the UTME this year as a transition period, starting next year, all applicants must meet the 18-year minimum age requirement.
The Minister emphasized that this age policy is not new but has been part of the education system for some time.
He pointed out that when calculating the appropriate duration of schooling—from early childhood education to the completion of senior secondary school—students typically reach the age of 17 and a half.
Therefore, by the time they are prepared for university admission, they are generally around 18 years old.
He concluded by noting that NECO and WAEC will now strictly enforce this age requirement, ensuring that students have completed the necessary years of education before being allowed to take these critical exams.
