Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman
By Abdullahi Abubakar
The federal government has finally bowed to pressure by allowing exceptionally gifted children under the age of 18 to sit for the West African School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) and National Examinations Council (NECO) exams.
This followed debates over the previously set age limits for candidates enrolling in WAEC, NECO, and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) exams.
Speaking during a visit to the Federal Government Academy in Suleja, on Thursday, the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, said that plans were afoot to establish clear guidelines for identifying and supporting gifted children.
He explained this was necessary due to the new education policy that imposed age limits on candidates taking WAEC and NECO exams.
During the visit, Prof. Mamman, alongside Minister of State for Education, Dr. Tanko Sununu, also announced a two-week extension to the resumption date for students at the Federal Government Academy, Suleja, due to ongoing renovations.
He stated that students should not return to an environment that was not fully prepared for learning, adding that the resumption date had been pushed from September 8th to the 18th, barring any unforeseen delays.
“We can’t have young students return when there is work still in progress. Plumbing, showers, water, and other facilities are not yet fully functional, so the school must be ready,” Mamman said.
“We’ve granted a 10-day extension, and they will make up for the lost time.”
