The Federal Government has clarified that there are no age restrictions for taking the National Examination Council (NECO) and West African Examination Council (WAEC) exams.

Addressing recent reports suggesting a minimum age of 18 years, the government specified that the age restriction applies only to the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and university admission, which will be limited to candidates 18 years or older starting in 2025.

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This clarification was provided by the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Tanko Sununu, during a press briefing in Abuja on Friday.

The briefing was part of the events leading up to the 2024 World Literacy Day, themed “Promoting Multilingual Education: Literacy for Mutual Understanding and Peace.”

Sununu said; “As regards this matter, we have made ourselves clear in different fora. But the issue kept recurring here and there. Actually, nobody among the two of us, the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, nor the Minister of State, stated anything about the age limit for WAEC, NECO or NABTEB.

“People just pick up some remarks the Minister made, misinterpreted the statements to imply that age restriction has been placed for WAEC and NECO examinations.

“What we have been mentioning in the past was the entry age for University, candidates sitting for the UTME. We have made this clear several times, and this is in line with the National Policy on Education.

The document stated that a child is expected to enter Primary School at six years, and he’s expected to spend six years in that school making it 12 years, three years each in junior and senior secondary schools, making it 18 years. That’s what is contained in the National Policy on Education document.

“This is directly or otherwise related to the theme of this year’s World Literacy Day. The Policy further stated that a child should learn in the language of the immediate environment or mother tongue up till primary three before English language could be introduced in subsequent years. That has facilitated learning at that level because you can easily communicate.

During the Literacy Day event, Dr. Tanko Sununu highlighted that the theme “Promoting Multilingual Education: Literacy for Mutual Understanding and Peace” underscores the importance of using a learner’s mother tongue or home language as the medium of instruction.

Prof. Akpama Iboro, Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education, also addressed the event, emphasizing that the theme aligns with the Commission’s values and goals.

“Literacy in a multilingual world goes beyond reading and writing in one language; it embraces the rich cultural and linguistic diversity that defines our nation and the world. Each language is a repository of culture, knowledge, and wisdom,” Prof. Iboro stated.

He affirmed the Commission’s ongoing dedication to advancing literacy throughout the country, acknowledging the unique challenges of multilingual education in a nation with hundreds of languages.

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has urged the Federal Government to prioritize reducing the high cost of education instead of offering student loans, which it says may not effectively address the challenges faced by Nigerian students.

NANS Senate President, Henry Okuomo, made the call during an interview on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television program, on Friday.

Okuomo argued that lowering the cost of education would be more beneficial than loans, which many students may struggle to repay due to the high unemployment rate in the country.

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Okuomo said, “For now, we don’t know who the beneficiaries of those loans are. We don’t know those who have applied for the loans and the modalities of getting the loans because it is not even accessible to some students.

“We know those who have tried getting the loans that couldn’t get it. We have reached out to NELFUND on the issue but haven’t been able to get feedback. Apart from the loan, we propose that instead of giving loans to the students, the government should reduce the cost of education.

“They should bring down the cost being paid by tertiary institutions to between N20,000 and N50,000. This will allow anybody to be able to access education if the fee is affordable. But now, even with the loan that they are giving us, we do not know the modalities for payment.

“Is it this country now that a graduate is not able to get a job that a loan will be paid back to the government?

The student loan initiative is a key component of President Bola Tinubu’s education policy.

It was introduced through the signing of the Access to Higher Education Act, which provides a legal framework for granting loans to low-income Nigerians to assist with paying tuition fees at tertiary institutions.

However, NANS maintains that addressing the cost of education directly is a more effective solution than the current loan scheme, which the group says lacks transparency and adequate accessibility.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has notified the Federal Government of its intention to begin a nationwide strike, issuing a 21-day notice.

Sources within ASUU’s National Executive Council (NEC) confirmed the development on Monday in Abuja.

The notice was issued following a NEC meeting held at the University of Ibadan, with a copy set to be sent to the Federal Ministries of Labour and Education.

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“This is not an ultimatum but a strike notice. We are giving a 21-day notice, after which we will proceed with the strike if necessary. The notice is a requirement under labor laws, so we are ensuring all our actions comply with legal procedures,” a source disclosed.

ASUU had previously threatened to strike due to the Federal Government’s failure to implement agreements.

Recall that on June 26, the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, invited ASUU to a meeting to discuss the ongoing issues affecting universities and prevent the strike.

The National President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, has expressed dissatisfaction with the Federal Government’s failure to implement agreements reached.

Speaking on the outcome of the recent meeting with the Minister of Education, Osodeke noted that the agreed-upon terms remain unfulfilled.

He said, “At the meeting called by the Minister of Education, we agreed to reconvene after two weeks to assess the government’s progress. We will determine our next course of action if the government fails to implement the agreements.”

Among the demands are the non-implementation of the 2009 re-negotiated agreements, which have been delayed for over six years without significant action from the government, according to the ASUU president.

Osodeke, highlighted that the academic allowances owed to members have accumulated for over six years without any resolution.

Regarding the revitalization fund, he stated that an agreement was reached based on the Needs Assessment Report to allocate N200 billion annually for five years.

“Since 2013, only one installment has been paid. We need these revitalization funds to upgrade our universities to international standards, enabling us to attract students and lecturers from other countries,” Osodeke explained.

He further criticized the government for allowing the unchecked proliferation of universities, noting that many new institutions are being approved without the necessary funding to operate effectively.