PTA Warns Against Underage Participation In WASSCE, NECO

PTA Warns Against Underage Participation In WASSCE, NECO

The Parents Teachers’ Association (PTA) has expressed support for the Federal Government’s decision to prohibit under-18 candidates from taking the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examination Council (NECO) exams……CONTINUE READING 

In a recent announcement on Channels Television’s ‘Sunday Politics,’ Minister of Education Prof. Tahir Mamman revealed a new policy setting the minimum age for secondary school leaving exams at 18. This policy means that candidates under 18 will no longer be eligible for these critical examinations.

The national president of the PTA remarked to The PUNCH, “I fully support this education policy. The minister isn’t introducing anything new; this has been part of our education system. At 18, students are mature enough for these exams. It is standard practice for students to be 18 before sitting for WASSCE or NECO, as even my own children waited until they were 18 before entering university.”

Mrs. Dideolu Adekogbe, CEO of Flourishgate Consult, agreed that this enforcement is overdue and should be implemented with clear consequences. She stated, “The National Policy on Education (NPE) should be adhered to as long as it remains unchanged. We should look at successful education systems in countries like Finland and Canada and strive to emulate them.”

Mrs. Ajibike Bakare, Head of School at Juniper Hill School, Lagos, emphasized the need to balance cognitive development with emotional maturity. She criticized the trend of pushing children into school too early and suggested that vocational training centres be established for younger students to gain skills before university.

Bakare noted, “While it’s important to focus on academic abilities, emotional maturity is equally crucial. Enforcing this policy should also ensure that children complete Primary Six before advancing to secondary school. We need to address the issue of younger students taking NECO and WASSCE exams prematurely.”