Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has strongly criticized the Federal Government’s decision to set an 18-year age limit for students taking NECO and WASSCE exams, calling it “absurd” and a “barrier to scholarships.”
The policy, announced by the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, has sparked controversy and raised concerns about its impact on gifted students and accessibility to education.
Atiku, the 2023 PDP Presidential candidate, took to his Facebook page to express his disapproval, stating that the policy “belongs in the Stone Ages” and is a disincentive to scholarship.
He argued that the federal government’s role in education should be limited, and that sub-national governments should have more autonomy in setting education laws and regulations.
READ MORE: FG Orders Dismissal Of 22,500 Employees With University Certificates From Benin, Togo
Atiku emphasized that the policy’s failure to cater to specially gifted pupils is an embarrassment to the intellectual community and portrays Nigeria as a country that does not appreciate gifted students.
He advocated for mechanisms to identify and grant scholarships to gifted students, regardless of age, to promote intellectual freedom and accessibility.
The former Vice President’s statement has sparked a heated debate on the policy’s merits and its potential impact on Nigeria’s education system.
As the conversation continues, one thing is clear: the policy has raised important questions about the role of government in education and the need to prioritize accessibility and intellectual freedom.
