The Federal Government has announced that Nigerian students under the age of 18 will no longer be allowed to apply for West African Senior Secondary School Examination (WASSCE) and the Senior School Certificate Examinations organised by WAEC and NECO.
Education Minister Prof. Tahir Mamman announced this in an interview on Sunday and pointed out that the directive will come into force from 2025.
Mamman stressed that this policy is not a new regulation but a confirmation of existing rules, which state that students should naturally be 18 years old by the time they graduate from high school.
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He explained that the education system, from early childhood education to secondary school, is structured to graduate at 17.5 years of age, ensuring that students are 18 years old before they can begin higher education.
“If you calculate the number of years that students should spend in school, you basically get a figure of 17.5 – from early childhood care through primary school to secondary school and finally to high school.
“When they are ready to accept, you will have 17.5.
“So, contrary to what some people say, we will not develop new policies, but simply remind people of what already exists,” he explained.
The new rule also applies to the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) organised by JAMB, where underage students are denied admission.
“NECO and WAEC will no longer allow underage children to take their examinations.
“In other words, if someone has not completed the required number of years at that particular level of study, WAEC and NECO will not allow him to sit for the examination,” he added.
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