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Reps Back Ban on Under-18 SSCE, UTME Candidates

 


The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education has thrown its weight behind the Federal Government's decision to peg the minimum age for candidates sitting for the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) and Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) at 18.

This decision, announced in July by the Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman, has been generating heated debates among parents and education stakeholders.

In an exclusive interview with OGILOSKOPE the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education, Mark Useni, explained that the decision was taken to ensure that children pursue their education alongside their cognitive and physical development and maturity.

Useni noted that the policy is not peculiar to Nigeria, citing military and paramilitary institutions which place the entry age at 18 years, as well as the voting age in Nigeria which is pegged at 18 years.

However, in a recent development, the Minister of Education has reversed the initial ban on underage admissions, responding to protests by stakeholders during the ongoing 2024 policy meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Examination (JAMB).

The reversal has been seen as a victory for parents and education stakeholders who had argued that the ban would disenfranchise many underage students who are ready for university education.

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