The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education has said that the recent decision by the Federal Government to peg the minimum age for candidates sitting for the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination may have come to stay.
Prof. Tahir Mamman, Minister of Education, indicated in July that beginning in 2025, no applicant under the age of 18 will be allowed to sit for the SSSCE, and such students will be unable to get admission to higher education institutions.
The announcement sparked significant controversy among parents and education groups.
In an exclusive interview with The Punch on Thursday, Mark Useni, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education, explained why the Federal Government may not change the decision.
He said, “The Committees on Basic Education and Examination Boards took this matter to the leadership of the House of Representatives. The Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, promptly appointed the House Leader, Prof Julius Ihonvere, to moderate a meeting between the two committees and the Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman.
“The meeting was held on Wednesday, September 4, and the minister attended together with the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Tanko Sununu, as well as the heads of basic education examination bodies.
“The minister explained that the policy that relates to the 18-year-old age requirement for entry into the university is a policy that was developed before the adoption of the 6-3-3-4 system. He explained that the policy also has a root in the Universal Basic Education Act.
“Prof. Tahir said the policy is not peculiar to Nigeria, while also making reference to military and paramilitary institutions, which place the entry age at 18 years. He also said that the voting age in Nigeria is pegged at 18 years.”
Useni, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) representing Takum/Donga/Ussa Federal Constituency, Taraba State, frowned on the situation where children not older than 12 “are being made to seek admission into universities.”
“While the policy is meant to ensure that children pursue their education alongside their cognitive and physical development and maturity, the Ministry of Education should develop a framework for proper transition into a full policy implementation.
“The Ministry of Education must ensure that students who are already progressing in the senior classes in secondary schools are not left stranded after completion of that level of education.
“We mandated the minister and his team to work out ways of handling the policy based on data available to the ministry and ensure that the policy does not jeopardise public interest,” he added.
