Federal Government Sets Age Limit For WAEC Exams

The Federal Government has announced a strict enforcement of age limits for candidates taking secondary school leaving examinations in Nigeria.

Underage students will no longer be permitted to sit for exams administered by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) or the National Examinations Council (NECO).

Education Minister, Prof. Tahir Mamman, revealed this during an interview on Channels Television’s “Sunday Politics” program.

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He emphasized that both WAEC and NECO must strictly adhere to the 18-year age limit for candidates participating in the WASSCE and SSCE exams, respectively.

The minister clarified that this is not a new policy but rather a reinforcement of existing regulations.

He stated, “The minimum age requirement is 18 years. We had a meeting with JAMB in July and decided to allow students below 18 to participate this year as a kind of notice to parents.

However, starting next year, JAMB will insist that all applicants meet the required age of 18 for university admission.

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“It’s important to note that this is not a new policy. It has been in place for a long time. If you calculate the typical number of years students spend in school, from early childhood care to primary, junior secondary, and senior secondary, you’ll arrive at around 17 and a half years. So, we’re not introducing a new policy; we’re simply reminding people of the existing one.

Moreover, NECO and WAEC will no longer allow underage children to write their examinations. Candidates must have completed the requisite number of years of study to be eligible.” He said

The minister further mentioned that the age limit for candidates taking the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), administered by JAMB, remains set at 18 years.