JAMB-WAEC Age Prerequisite: An Antediluvian Delusion of a Gerontocrat

By Marindoti Oludare

In an era when the world is moving forward, the recent proposal by Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, to impose an age limit of 18 years for students taking the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WAEC) and Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) exams, feels like a retrogressive step back to the Dark Ages. This ill-conceived policy, which disregards the diversity, choice, and constitutional rights of our nation, is nothing short of antediluvian—a relic of an outdated mindset that should have no place in modern governance.

As someone who stands as a testament to the potential this policy could destroy, I feel compelled to speak out. I was 14 years and 9 months old when I took the JAMB exam in 2004, and by the time the WAEC exams commenced, I was 14 years and 11 months old. My 15th birthday was spent in a WAEC exam hall. Not only did I achieve the best WAEC result in my set, but I also secured the highest JAMB score, paving the way for me to study medicine at Obafemi Awolowo University, where I graduated in record time. Since then, I have saved countless lives as a medical doctor. But I suppose, in the eyes of our honorable Minister, those lives are dispensable.

Minister Mamman’s proposal typifies the fundamental flaws in Nigeria’s educational system, which is often dictated by individuals with little to no experience in the crucial early stages of education. While the Minister may indeed be a Professor of Law, as he himself boasts, his entire professional experience is confined to the tertiary education sector—a sector that, while important, represents a mere fraction of the educational journey of most Nigerians. According to recent statistics, less than 15% of Nigerians attain a post-secondary education, a clear indication that policy decisions should be driven by those with a broader understanding of the entire educational landscape.

The Minister’s misguided proposal will only lead to an unmitigated disaster, broken dreams and severe damage to our economy on the long term. By attempting to prevent students from taking WAEC based on age, without considering the disparities in students’ abilities, educational progression, and social impact, he is laying the groundwork for a national crisis. A 16-year-old girl, for example, who is denied the chance to advance academically, may end up as a teenage mother, her dreams crushed by a policy that fails to acknowledge her potential. A 17 year old boy denied same might give in to crime and consequently never achieve his future potential. The idle mind is the devil’s workshop. The impact of such needless impediment on their mental health and psychological development is also being ignored. I guess that’s what you get when the education Minister is a lawyer and minister of state is a gynecologist.

Education is not a rite of passage. Success in any exam is not guaranteed, and the mere challenge of passing an exam is sufficient restriction. If a child can meet the requirements and pass, there is no reason to hinder that child’s progress in life. Moreover, WAEC, despite being government-regulated, is a private examination body. Trying to prevent parents from enrolling their children, especially when the government does not pay their tuition or exam fees, is tantamount to turning Nigeria into an autocratic regime.

This policy is emblematic of the odious federal overreach that has surprisingly escalated under the current administration, whose aspirations and policies many of us supported. From manipulating the judicial system to bypass constitutional amendments on local government revenue payments, to now attempting to dictate education policies for states, the federal government’s actions have become increasingly autocratic.

Education, as enshrined in our Constitution, is on the concurrent list. The federal government has no authority to dictate when a child can take an exam, especially when it is not bearing the cost of that education. In advanced countries, while there may be policies regarding the age of primary school entry in public schools, these do not prevent children from advancing at their own pace if they demonstrate the necessary capability. In the United States, the youngest university graduate was just 10 years old; in the UK, it was 13 years old; in Canada, 12 years old; in Germany, 12 years old; and in China, 13 years old. These are nations that, despite having age-related policies, still allow gifted children to progress without unnecessary barriers.

The Minister’s proposal threatens to take Nigeria back to an era where a child could only enter primary school if they could touch their opposite ear with their hand. It is an affront to the constitutional powers of our state governors, and I call on them to reject this policy. Parents of affected children must revolt against this gerontocratic thinking that is completely out of touch with the realities of today’s generation.

It seems apparent that the minister’s decision is informed by his own experience. The honorable minister graduated ABU in 1983 as a 29 year old, this means he probably was 1st set to write JAMB in 1978 as a 24 year old. This history helps shed light on why he thinks 18 should be the barest minimum considering that would be 6 years younger than he was when he wrote the said exam. However, being an opsimath is not enough reason to hinder the academic progress of the prodigies in our secondary school. The honorable minister would do the country a wealth of good by refraining from imposing his own experience on the rest of us. And should he insist we shall meet him in court.

*Dr. Oludare is Convener, Social Rehabilitation Gruppe (SRG), an indigene of Ondo State. Hevwrites from Texas, USA.