The Federal Ministry of Education has clarified that it has not prohibited students under 18 from taking the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) exams.

The Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusuf Sununu, made the clarification in Abuja on Friday while fielding questions from journalists at an event to mark the 2024 International Literacy Day, ILD.

Recall that Education Minister Tahir Mamman had on August 25th said the Federal Government instructed the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, and the National Examinations Council, NECO, not to allow underage children to write their examinations.

But Sununu said that the public misconception and misinterpretation of what was said by the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, was highly disappointing.

He said that the minister was actually speaking on the 18 years entry age into the tertiary institutions as was practiced in the 6:3:3:4 system of education.

“We have agreed that we are going to consider it as a work-in-progress. The National Assembly is working and we are also working.

“Nobody said no child will write WAEC, NECO or any other examination unless at age 18. This is a misconception and misrepresentation of what we have said,” NAN quoted him as saying.