The Federal Government has clarified that there is no age restriction for students sitting for the National Examination Council (NECO) and West African Examination Council (WAEC) exams. This follows recent reports that inaccurately suggested a minimum age of 18 years for these exams.

Speaking in Abuja on Friday, the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Tanko Sununu, emphasized that the age restriction of 18 years applies only to the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and university admission, effective from 2025.

Sununu clarified that no limits had been imposed on the NECO, WAEC, or National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) exams. “People have misinterpreted previous remarks regarding UTME age limits as applying to WAEC and NECO, but that is not the case,” he stated.

He further explained that the National Policy on Education outlines a guideline for students to complete primary and secondary education by the age of 18, which aligns with the age for university entry. The clarification was made during a briefing on the upcoming 2024 World Literacy Day, themed “Promoting Multilingual Education: Literacy for Mutual Understanding and Peace.”

The Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education, Prof. Akpama Iboro, added that the event reflects the importance of promoting literacy in a multilingual society. He emphasized that literacy transcends reading and writing in one language, highlighting the value of cultural diversity and linguistic heritage.