Ado Ekiti, Nigeria – Aare Afe Babalola, the esteemed Chancellor of Afe Babalola University (ABUAD), has openly criticized the Federal Government’s recent enforcement of an age limit for students seeking to take WAEC and NECO examinations, as well as university admissions. This policy mandates that students must be at least 18 years old to sit for these examinations and to be eligible for university entry.
During a press conference held in Ado Ekiti this Thursday, Afe Babalola condemned the policy as “retrogressive” and warned that such measures could stifle the potential of the nation’s youth. “It is disheartening that no Nigerian was named among the young achievers in the world,” Babalola said, attributing this gap to policies that delay the recognition of young talents.
The Federal Government, through the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, defended the policy on Channels Television’s ‘Sunday Politics’ program, stating it was a reinforcement of existing rules aimed at standardizing educational progression. The Minister clarified, “This is not a new policy; we are merely enforcing what has always been the standard. By the time students complete their educational cycle up to senior secondary school, they should be nearly eighteen.”
However, Babalola argues that this rigid age stipulation undermines the autonomy of universities to admit talented students who are ready to advance at a younger age. Citing examples from ABUAD, he mentioned students who enrolled at 15 and graduated with first-class honors by 19. “These are the prodigies our policies should be nurturing, not hindering,” he emphasized.
Internationally, age flexibility in academia is commonplace in many advanced countries like the UK, Australia, Norway, and South Korea, and Nigeria should not be left out in benefiting from a similar policy.
Afe Babalola, who is a legal beacon and founder of one of the top leading private universities in Nigeria, referenced American psychologist Elaine Aaron, highlighting that critical qualities for national development—like deep thinking and emotional intelligence—are not age-dependent. “We must not forge with our own hands the chains that hamper the development of our gifted children,” he declared.
The policy has sparked a broad debate on the balance between regulatory standards and the need to promote exceptional talents. As the discussion unfolds, stakeholders in the educational sector are calling for a policy review that considers the diverse capabilities of Nigerian students. With national development at stake, the controversy surrounding this age limit policy is set to continue, with hopes for a resolution that aligns with the best interests of the country’s future leaders.
