Atiku Abubakar Criticizes Federal Government's Age Restriction Policy for Tertiary Admissions

Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party's (PDP) presidential candidate for 2023, has criticized a Federal Government policy that sets age restrictions for admission to postsecondary schools.

The policy requires applicants to be at least eighteen years old to be admitted to tertiary institutions. The Education Minister, Tahir Mamman, also directed the National Examinations Council (NEC) and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) not to allow minors to sit for their exams.

In response, Atiku stated on his X that the policy is outdated and likened it to something from the Stone Age. He called the regulation ridiculous and claimed it discourages scholarship.

He further criticized the Federal Government's lack of provisions for exceptionally gifted students, calling it disgraceful. "The policy runs foul of the notion of delineation of responsibilities in a federal system of government such as we are practicing, and gives a graphic impression of how the Tinubu government behaves like a lost sailor on a high sea," Atiku said. "Otherwise, how is such anti-scholarship regulation the next logical step in the myriad of issues besetting our educational system?”

Atiku argued that the Nigerian Constitution places education in the concurrent list, where sub-national governments have more authority than the federal government. "Therefore, it is extra-constitutional for the federal government to legislate on education in a manner similar to a decree," he asserted.

He suggested that the best global practice would be to allow sub-national governments to create their own education rules. Atiku also expressed disappointment that the policy does not account for specially gifted students, saying, “That statement is an embarrassment to the body of intellectuals in the country because it portrays Nigeria as a country where gifted students are not appreciated.”

He concluded by stating, “The irony here is that should the federal government play any role in education, it is to set up mechanisms that will identify and grant scholarships to gifted students not minding their ages before applying for admission into tertiary institutions. This controversial policy belongs in the Stone Ages and should be roundly condemned by everyone who believes in intellectual freedom and accessibility.”