Candidates for UTME, WAEC, and NECO are still subject to age restrictions.

During a webinar hosted by the Concerned Parents and Educators Initiative (CPE), panelists emphasized that restricting the age for taking the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) to 18 will only lead to a rise in the number of out-of-school children in the country.

The panel, comprising school owners, students, educators, and lawyers, urged the federal government to address the matter at its roots by ensuring that only children aged six and older are placed in primary one.

According to them, this may not necessarily result in all students leaving secondary school at 18, as many will still be around 17 years old.

They talked during a webinar hosted by the CPE.

According to Yinka Ogunde, the founder of CPE, in the past, parents were not eager on letting their children skip classes, but some individuals still managed to take exams at the age of 16.

The main concern now is the fate of students under 18 who are currently in SSS 3. There is no plan in place to support these students during the gap year or years that will result from the situation. Idle hands are the devil’s workshop. “Enforcing this policy at this point will only cause chaos for the students it impacts,” she pointed out.

Bryan Ebbi and Eworitse Wilbert, teenage individuals who dropped out of secondary school before the age of 18, claimed that this would result in an increase in criminal activity.

I dropped out of high school at 16 years old. I am grateful that my parents understood the importance of me filling my gap years with something fulfilling. Before starting university, I decided to acquire some new skills. However, how many parents are able to do the same for their children? In my opinion, the policy must be carefully planned and appropriate preparations must be made,” Ebbi stated.

Wilbert pointed out that when young people have nothing to do, they may turn to criminal activities and further insecurity is created.

Some parents might also choose to falsely declare the age of their children and dependents. Furthermore, impacted students may turn to criminal behavior and engage in illicit activities. He emphasized the importance of making the most of the gap year by engaging in meaningful and productive activities.