Reversal Of 18 Years Minimum Age For WASSCE, NECO, Commendable – NNPP Chieftain

…Seeks Reversal Of Petrol Products’ Pump Prices Too

A chieftain of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi, has commended the Federal Government for reversing itself on the 18 years minimum age to write West Africa School Certificate Examinations, (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council, (NECO) examinations, saying “this decision has portrayed the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration as a listening one”.

Ajadi nevertheless urged that the Federal Government should equally reverse the current pump prices of petroleum products to its old prices.

It would be recalled that the Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, a few weeks back had announced that beginning from the next academic session, students who are below 18 years will not be allowed to sit for WASCE and NECO Examinations, a decision that was greeted with condemnation by many Nigerians including Ambassador Ajadi.

He had urged the government not to implement such a policy in the interest of many youths who are already in Senior Secondary Schools and may have to sit at home for many years to reach the age of 18.

Last Friday, the Federal Government reversed itself, with the Minister of State for Education, Dr Tanko Sununu, saying that it never restricted the age for students to write Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations (SSCE) and National Examinations Council, (NECO) to 18 years.

The government explained that it only restricted the age for sitting for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and entry into the university to 18 years beginning from 2025 and that the decision was not binding on students sitting for examinations conducted by NECO and WAEC.

Ajadi in a statement obtained by New Telegraph on Sunday, gave kudos to the Federal Government for its prompt response to Nigerians’ demand for a reversal of the policy, saying the government deserves commendation.

According to him, “I commend the Federal Government for its decision to reverse itself on the non-participation of Under 18 students in WASCE and NECO Examinations.

“This decision has portrayed the Tinubu’s administration as a listening one. The government is behaving typically as a democratic government by listening to the voice of the people.

“This decision should be commended by all well-meaning Nigerians. When a government does well, it deserves commendation. That is the hallmark of genuine opposition. We should not only focus on the negative attitude of government.

“I therefore wish to call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his administration to also listen to the cry of Nigerians on the current high prices of petroleum products. The government should revert the current prices to the old ones for Nigerians to survive.

“The current prices of petroleum products have made many Nigerians go into a coma. The rich and the poor can no longer breathe. They are on life support machines as a result of the non-availability and the high pump prices of petroleum products.

“The government should consider the plight of Nigerians and reduce the current prices. Government exists to ease the pains of the people and not to suffocate the people. President Tinubu should do something urgently because Nigerians are suffering and dying”, Ajadi said.

Source: New Telegraph