The 2023 presidential candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar has strongly criticised the Federal Government’s policy setting age limits for entry into tertiary institutions.
The policy mandates that candidates must be 18 years old before they can be admitted to tertiary institutions. Additionally, the Education Minister, Tahir Mamman, announced that underage children would not be allowed to write the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Examinations Council (NECO) exams.
Reacting on his X account, Atiku condemned the policy, calling it an “absurdity” and a “disincentive to scholarship.” He expressed concern that the policy undermines intellectual freedom and discourages gifted students from pursuing higher education.
“The policy runs foul of the notion of delineation of responsibilities in a federal system of government such as we are practicing, and gives a graphic impression of how the Tinubu government behaves like a lost sailor on a high sea. Otherwise, how is such anti-scholarship regulation the next logical step in the myriad of issues besetting our educational system?
“To be clear, the Nigerian constitution puts education in the concurrent list of schedules, in which the sub-national government enjoys more roles above the federal government.
“Therefore, it is extra-constitutional for the federal government to legislate on education in a manner similar to a decree.
“The best global standard for such regulation is to allow the sub-national governments to make respective laws or rules on education.
“It is discouraging that even while announcing this obnoxious policy, the government inadvertently said it had no plan to cater for specially gifted pupils.
“That statement is an embarrassment to the body of intellectuals in the country because it portrays Nigeria as a country where gifted students are not appreciated.
“The irony here is that should the federal government play any role in education, it is to set up mechanisms that will identify and grant scholarships to gifted students not minding their ages before applying for admission into tertiary institutions.
“This controversial policy belongs in the Stone Ages and should be roundly condemned by everyone who believes in intellectual freedom and accessibility.”
