Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s administration for its recent policy mandating that only individuals aged 18 and above can take the National Examination Council (NECO) and West African Examination Council (WAEC) exams. Atiku described this policy as outdated and detrimental to educational opportunities, stating it belongs in the “stone ages.”
The policy was announced by Education Minister Prof. Tahir Mamman, who clarified that it reaffirms existing regulations rather than introducing new ones. He indicated that while the age requirement for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) remains at 18 years, there would be a grace period allowing those under 18 to be admitted this year.
In his statement, Atiku argued that the policy contradicts the federal structure of governance in Nigeria, where education is listed in the concurrent legislative list, allowing sub-national governments to have a significant role in educational matters. He criticized the federal government’s approach as overreaching and indicative of a lack of direction.
Atiku also lamented the government’s failure to address the needs of exceptionally gifted students, suggesting that the focus should be on creating systems to identify and support such students, regardless of age. He concluded that this policy undermines intellectual freedom and accessibility in education and should be condemned by all who value these principles.
