Some stakeholders in the education sector, including the Nigeria Union of Teachers, All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools and the National Parent-Teacher Association of Nigeria expresses divergent opinions on a report seeking to peg the age limit for candidates, who wants to sit the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination UTME at 16 years.
Report has it that the Senate announced plans to amend the law establishing the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, so as to limit the age of a candidate sitting the UTME to 16 years and above.
The Vice-Chairman, Senate Committee on Basic Education, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, who gave the indication during the committee’s oversight visit to JAMB, says this would prevent under-aged candidates from participating in the examination for the purpose of gaining admission into universities in Nigeria.
In his reaction, the Secretary-General, NUT, Dr Mike Ike-Ene, says it was not ideal for a student to sit for the UTME at under 16 years, adding that it would be good if the law was amended.
Reasons being that when a child is rushed too early, the child rushes out too early without learning. Parents should dedicate more time to their children. If a child enters school at eight years, he/she will be more mature than his/her other mates, who may be six or seven years old in the same class.
