Nigerian government bans minors from registering for NECO, WAEC exams

The Federal Government has moved to impose an age limit of 18 years for the country’s secondary school certificate examinations.

Education Minister Tahir Mamman announced this on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme.

He said the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Examinations Council (NECO) had been directed to comply with the directive.

Mamman stressed that the age limit for Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidates remains 18 years, and JAMB will no longer admit underage students from next year.

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The Minister explained that this was not a new policy, but rather a reminder of existing regulations.

This step aims to ensure students complete the required number of years at school before taking the exam.

Mamman explains that calculating the typical duration of early childhood care, elementary school, middle school, and high school yields a total of 17.5 years, consistent with the age limit of 18.

The minister said: “The age is 18 (years). What we did at the meeting we had with JAMB (in July) was to allow this year and for this to be a kind of notice to parents that this year, JAMB will admit students who are below that age, but from next year, JAMB will insist that anyone who applies for admission into a university in Nigeria must meet the required age, which is 18 years.

Nigerian Govt bans minors from registering for NECO, WAEC exams first appeared on Latest Nigeria News | Headlines from Ripples Nigeria.