The Federal Government has announced intentions to prohibit underage students from taking the National Common Entrance Examination (NCE), which is administered by the National Examination Council (NECO) for admission to various colleges across the country.
NECO has been asked to implement strong procedures to prevent minors from registering for the exam, including making birth documents a registration condition.
According to the Federal Government, a student must be at least 12 years old to enter secondary school. The Federal Government specified that while taking the exam, one could be eleven or older, but must be twelve by September.
David Adejo, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, issued the directive on Saturday, June 3, in Abuja, while overseeing the conduct of the 2023 Common Entrance Examination into the Federation’s 116 Federal Government Colleges.
On Saturday, 72,821 candidates took the exam across the country.
After inspecting the exercise at the Federal Government Girls College, Bwari, and the Government Day Secondary School, Bwari, the Permanent Secretary expressed dissatisfaction with the number of underage students taking the examination.
“This year, I have advised for parents, and I beg you, take this advice to every single home you know,” he stated. By permitting underage students to take the Common Entrance Examination, we are killing our youngsters.
“I saw children I know who are under the age of ten, and three of them accepted that they were nine.” We are doing a number of things, one of which is teaching the children the wrong values. Passing tests is not the goal of education. Education entails teaching, learning, and character development.
“I beg the parents, please allow these children to take their exams when they are due.” We gain nothing by pushing your youngster too far. Most of the time, if a youngster begins too young, he or she will have difficulties later in life.
“Education is designed in such a way that there are messages your brain can take, understand, and use at any point in life.” We are transitioning away from education that is based on reading texts and passing exams.
“We’re getting to the point where education is about what you can do with your knowledge to help society.” When you subject a small child to all of the rigors, going to university becomes a difficulty by the time he completes secondary school.
That happened to me and a friend. That acquaintance has yet to be admitted to a university because he was placed in school before the age at which he was meant to be placed.
“Let our children reach the appropriate age before taking this exam, and we will ensure that NECO implements appropriate checks.” We didn’t want to come to the point where we had to say “bring birth certificate,” but that is where we are today. Upload the child’s birth certificate when registering so that we can cut some of these things at our end.”
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