The Federal Government has dismissed rumors that candidates below 18 years old are barred from taking the West African Examination Council (WAEC) and National Examination Council (NECO) exams.
This clarification was made by the Minister of State for Education, Yussuf Sununu, during the International Literacy Day ministerial briefing held in Abuja on Friday.
Sununu explained that the recent remarks by Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, which had sparked public reactions, were misunderstood. Prof. Mamman’s earlier statement had suggested that only individuals aged 18 and above would be allowed to sit for WAEC and NECO exams, drawing significant backlash from Nigerians who saw it as an unfair restriction.
Addressing the issue, Sununu clarified that Prof. Mamman was referring to the minimum age of entry for tertiary institutions, which is expected to be 18 years starting in 2025, not secondary school exams.
“No one mentioned an age restriction for WAEC or NECO. The statement was about the entry age into universities,” Sununu stated, emphasizing that the public misinterpreted the minister’s message.
Sununu also noted that the ministry is developing criteria to allow underage students with exceptional academic performance to apply to federal higher institutions, offering them flexibility in admission processes despite the general age limit for university entry.
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