SSANU Criticizes New WAEC, NECO Age Requirement Policy, Urges Government to Reconsider
SSANU has called on the federal government to engage in broader consultations with relevant stakeholders to prevent potential setbacks in the education sector.
Lois Udoye 
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has expressed strong opposition to the recent policy by the Federal Ministry of Education mandating that candidates must be at least 18 years old to sit for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Examinations Council (NECO) exams. SSANU has called on the federal government to engage in broader consultations with relevant stakeholders to prevent potential setbacks in the education sector.
The policy, announced by Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, during a Channels Television interview, stipulates that starting in 2025, individuals younger than 18 will be barred from participating in national examinations administered by WAEC and NECO. The Federal Government has directed these examination bodies to enforce this age restriction.
In a communique issued at the end of its 49th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Abuja, SSANU President, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, criticized the policy as a retrogressive step. The communique stated, “NEC in session lends her voice to critical stakeholders in the education sector in condemning the decision of the Federal Government to peg the age at which students can write the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) and gain admission into tertiary institutions at 18. This policy is believed to drag the education sector backward.”
SSANU also criticized the delay in the payment of four months' withheld salaries, which President Bola Tinubu had instructed to be disbursed to its members two months ago. Additionally, the union appealed to the Federal Government to extend the distribution of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to universities to support the transportation of staff and students.
The association's concerns reflect broader apprehensions about the impact of the new age policy on students and the education system as a whole. SSANU's call for wider consultation highlights the need for inclusive dialogue in the formulation and implementation of educational policies.
