The Federal Government’s recent directive banning candidates under the age of 18 from sitting for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examination Council (NECO) has sparked a heated debate among stakeholders in the education sector.
While the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has backed the policy, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has condemned it, arguing that it is unrealistic and does not take into account exceptional students who may be academically advanced.
According to the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, the policy is not new and is aimed at ensuring that students are emotionally mature enough to sit for the examinations. However, critics argue that the policy will lead to legal challenges and may not be feasible in a country where child marriage is still prevalent.
The National President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, has stated that the union has not yet discussed the matter, but personally, he believes that children should follow the standard academic progression and not be rushed into university at a young age.
On the other hand, the Secretary-General of NUT, Dr. Mike Ene, has argued that the policy is poorly conceived and does not take into account the exceptional students who may be academically advanced. He also pointed out that the policy may lead to legal challenges and may not be feasible in a country where child marriage is still prevalent.