The federal government has said it will consider exceptionally intelligent children below 18 years to write the West African School Certificate Examinations (WASCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations.
Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, disclosed this Thursday during a tour of the Federal Government Academy, Suleja.
“It may not and we are going to develop criteria to guide what we will call Gifted children,” he said while answering questions on the government’s plans for gifted children, given the new education policy of the government that sets age limits for candidates writing WASCE and NECO examinations.
Addressing reporters after the tour of the school, also known as the National School for the Gifted, alongside Minister of State for Education, Dr.
Tanko Sununu, Prof. Mamman announced an extension of the resumption date for students of the Federal Government Academy, Suleja, by two weeks.
He explained that the decision was due to ongoing renovations in the school. According to him, students would not be allowed to resume in an environment that was unconducive for learning. Instead of resuming with other federal government colleges on Sunday, the 8th of September, students may now resume on the 18th barring any unforeseen circumstances.
He said: “We cannot have these young children here when there is work ongoing. The plumbing facility, showers, water, and everything are a bit unstructured because of the ongoing work so the facility needs to be ready.
“We have granted 10 days which is the embodiment of two weeks. They will make up somehow.”
Worried over the current state of the school, the minister pledged the commitment of the government to provide the needed support to help upgrade the school to what it should be.
This decision follows various educational bodies and party opponents who opposed the directive that no student below 18 would be allowed to sit for WASCE and NECO.
READ ALSO: FG Bans Under 18 From WAEC and NECO Exams
Previously, the federal government had set a strict policy banning under-18 students from taking these examinations and also from gaining university admission via JAMB. However, the policy faced backlash from stakeholders, including parents and education advocates, who argued that the decision would hinder the progress of gifted students.
Many groups threatened legal action, with the National Association of Parents-Teachers Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) indicating plans to sue the government if the policy remained in effect by 2025
