The Federal Government clarified that there is no age restriction for students taking the National Examinations Council (NECO) or West African Examinations Council (WAEC) exams. Dr. Tanko Sununu, Minister of State for Education, made this declaration during a World Literacy Day event in Abuja on Friday.
Dr. Sununu emphasized that any age limitations apply solely to candidates for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), not NECO, WAEC, or the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB). He addressed ongoing confusion, explaining that neither he nor the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, had set any age limit for WAEC or NECO. He attributed the misunderstanding to misinterpretations of earlier statements.
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The Minister further elaborated that the age restriction pertains to UTME candidates and aligns with the National Policy on Education, which anticipates students to be around 18 years old by the time they complete secondary school. This policy framework includes expectations for early education in a child’s mother tongue until Primary 3, after which English is introduced.
Dr. Sununu also noted that these educational policies are relevant to the theme of this year’s World Literacy Day, underscoring the importance of language in facilitating effective learning.