Matters Resurfacing: Minimum Age For SSCE

Professor Tahir Mamman, Ni­geria’s Minister of Education, recently announced a policy setting the minimum age for writing the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations (SSCE) at 18 years, starting from 2025. This decision has sparked widespread criticism from education stakehold­ers, who view it as a regressive step that fails to consider the realities of modern education. The new age lim­it rather than enhancing educational outcomes, risks stifling student prog­ress and diminishing the quality of education in Nigeria. ..Read Full Article

Setting the minimum age for SSCE at 18 years is out of step with the global trend toward encouraging early academic achievement. Nige­ria’s 6-3-3-4 educational system, which anticipates students finishing sec­ondary school by age 18, does not ac­count for the diverse academic paths students might take. Many students, particularly those who are gifted or started school early, complete second­ary education well before turning 18. Imposing an age limit would unfairly penalize these students, forcing them to wait unnecessarily, which is both a waste of time and an impediment to their academic and professional growth.

Maintaining the minimum age for SSCE at 16 years, as has been the practice, is a more balanced and sus­tainable approach. It allows academi­cally ready students to progress to ter­tiary education without delay while ensuring those who need more time can take it without undue pressure.

Many 16-year-olds are mature enough to handle the demands of higher education, and the current policy of allowing SSCE at 16 has produced generations of success­ful graduates who have excelled in various fields. There is no evidence raising the age limit would lead to better outcomes; on the contrary, it could increase student frustration and dropout rates.

The policy is particularly prob­lematic for gifted children, who often progress through school at an acceler­ated pace. Forcing them to wait until 18 years to take the SSCE disregards their unique needs and potential, stifling their intellectual growth. Professor Mamman’s dismissal of gifted children as a minority is trou­bling. Gifted children are a vital part of the nation’s future, and their needs should not be ignored.

Moreover, the policy raises con­cerns about what students will do during the two years they must wait before writing the SSCE. The Nige­ria Union of Teachers (NUT) right­ly warns that “the devil finds work for idle hands.” Forcing students to remain idle for two years is not only wasteful but potentially dangerous, increasing the likelihood of disen­gagement from education and neg­ative behaviours.

A significant issue with the policy is the lack of consultation with key stakeholders in the education sec­tor. A major decision like this should not be made unilaterally. The minis­ter’s failure to engage with bodies like the National Council on Education (NCE), the NUT, and other relevant organisations is a serious oversight. Education policy should reflect the input and concerns of those directly involved in educating Nigerian stu­dents.

Professor Mamman’s justification for the policy – that students are not mature enough for tertiary educa­tion until they are 18 – is flawed. The minister appears too keen on fixing what is not broken. How is age an issue at this time when millions of school-age children are out of school? While 18 is the legal age of adulthood, maturity is not solely determined by age. Many students can handle the challenges of higher education at 16, especially in today’s fast-paced, information-rich world. Maturity is a function of age and experience, and students who have been well-prepared through second­ary education are more likely to suc­ceed in higher education, regardless of whether they are 16 or 18.

Instead of implementing a blanket age limit, the government should focus on creating a more flexible and inclusive education system that caters to the diverse needs of Nigerian students. Several options are available:

Number one, the government should allow students to take the SSCE when they are academical­ly ready, rather than at a specific age, ensuring evaluations are based on academic readiness, not chronolog­ical age.

Two, we would need to establish and expand programs for gifted stu­dents, allowing them to progress at their own pace rather than being held back by arbitrary age limits.

In addition, the country must be ready to provide students with better career guidance and counselling to help them make informed decisions about their educational and career paths, regardless of age.

Furthermore, greater parental involvement in the education pro­cess should be encouraged to ensure students are neither pressured into exams prematurely nor held back unnecessarily.

Education is the cornerstone of national development. The policies governing it should be based on evi­dence, not assumptions. Setting the minimum age for the SSCE at 18 years is a regressive step that could do more harm than good. By maintaining the current age limit of 16 years and im­plementing sustainable solutions, the government can ensure Nigerian stu­dents have the best chance to succeed in their academic and professional lives.

If left unchallenged, Professor Mamman’s policy will stifle the poten­tial of Nigerian students and set the education system back by decades. It is imperative that stakeholders – including the National Assembly, parents, educators, and civil society – resist this policy and advocate for a more flexible, inclusive, and for­ward-looking approach to education in Nigeria. The future of the nation’s youth, and indeed the future of Nige­ria itself, depends on it…..Read Full Article