Education Minister Sets 18-Year Age Limit for UTME, WAEC, NECO Exams

Minister of Education Tahir Mamman has announced that underage candidates will no longer be allowed to sit for secondary school leaving examinations, including the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).

Mamman stated on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics program that the Federal Government has instructed the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) to comply with the directive on the 18-year age limit for eligibility.

“The age limit for any candidate to write the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) organized by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) remains 18 years,” Mamman emphasized.

He clarified that this policy is not new, but rather a reminder of existing regulations. “We are just simply reminding people of what is existing… NECO and WAEC, henceforth, will not be allowing underage children to write their examinations.”

Mamman explained that pupils are expected to spend a certain number of years in each level of study before being eligible to write the examinations. “Early child care is expected to last for the first five years. Pupils are expected to begin primary one at the age of six, spend six years in primary school and move to junior secondary school at the age of 12, spend three years, before moving to senior secondary school at the age of 15, to spend three more years and leave for university at the age of 18.”

He stressed that pupils must spend the requisite number of years in each level of study before being eligible to write the examinations. “If somebody has not spent the requisite number of years in that particular level of study, WAEC and NECO will not allow them to write the examination.”

Mamman noted that this directive is aimed at ensuring that students meet the required age and educational standards before progressing to higher levels of education. “It is 18 (years). What we did at the meeting that we had with JAMB (in July) was to allow this year and for it to serve as a kind of notice for parents that this year, JAMB will admit students who are below that age but from next year, JAMB is going to insist that anybody applying to go to university in Nigeria meets the required age which is 18.”