The Federal Government has defended its recent decision to bar students under 18 from taking the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), citing the need to adhere to existing education laws and improve skill acquisition among students.

The policy, set to take effect in 2025, has sparked controversy, with many parents and stakeholders criticizing the move as restrictive and unfair.

However, during an Inter-Ministerial Press Briefing in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, clarified that the decision is rooted in long-established laws that have not been effectively implemented.

Mamman pointed to the Universal Basic Education Act and the Minimum Standards Policy Act, both of which were enacted years ago, prescribing specific age limits and academic progression timelines for students in Nigeria.

“Our laws, the Universal Basic Education Act and the Minimum Standards Policy Act, established in 1993, prescribe age limits and provisions for each education level,” Mamman said.

“A child is expected to enter school at six years of age, complete six years of primary school, three years of junior secondary, and three years of senior secondary.

However, parents have been hurrying their children, getting them into school too early, sometimes skipping key education levels,” he added.

Mamman emphasized that the early completion of school by students too young to take on the SSCE is counterproductive.

According to him, with the revised curriculum and the skills-based focus of modern education, students need to be adequately prepared to either further their studies or gain employable skills by the time they complete secondary school.

“Parents rushing their children through school disrupts the learning process. The curriculum we have introduced requires time for students to develop both academically and skillfully.

“The policy is designed to ensure that by the time students graduate from senior secondary school, they will either be ready for tertiary education or equipped with employable skills,” Mamman explained.

He further noted that allowing students to remain in school longer would better prepare them for life after secondary education, especially for those who do not proceed to universities or colleges, adding that they will have skills that can lead to employment or self-sufficiency.