FG reverses 18-year age limit for admission
The 18-year admission benchmark into tertiary institutions has been abolished. The Minister of Education Dr Tunji Alausa, announced this on Tuesday in Abuja.
There was criticism of the policy that former Education Minister Professor Tahir Mamman had started, which Alausa said hurt the federal government’s attempts to lower the nation’s out-of-school youth rate.
He clarified that the 16-year-old age limit will be upheld and that exceptions would be made for “gifted children,” but added it is also unsustainable for the school system.
The Minister alluded to the prospect of the government re-examining the country’s educational system, promising that Nigeria’s educational system will be 20 percent classroom/theoretical and 80 percent practical in the future.
According to Alausa, practical education will contribute in reducing Nigeria’s unemployment rate since universities will no longer produce graduates each year who are unemployed.
He stated that in order to train pupils to reach their full potential, the federal government will collaborate with private sector operators.
Dr Alausa did, however, state that the Federal Government’s decision to nullify more than 22,700 degree credentials earned by Nigerians at some “fake” colleges in nearby Togo and Benin Republic will not be overturned.
