The Federal Government has announced that exceptionally gifted children under the age of 18 may be allowed to sit for the West African School Certificate Examinations (WASCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) exams, despite the government’s new education policy setting age limits for these examinations.
Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, disclosed this on Thursday during a tour of the Federal Government Academy in Suleja, also known as the National School for the Gifted.
“We are going to develop criteria to guide what we will call gifted children,” Prof. Mamman said while responding to questions about how the government plans to accommodate gifted children under the new policy.
He emphasized that these criteria will ensure that talented students are given the opportunity to excel regardless of age restrictions.
During the tour, Prof. Mamman, alongside the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Tanko Sununu, also announced an extension of the resumption date for students of the Federal Government Academy, Suleja, by two weeks due to ongoing renovations at the school.
Students, who were originally scheduled to resume on September 8th, are now expected to return by September 18th.
“We cannot have these young children here when there is work ongoing,” Mamman said, highlighting that facilities such as plumbing, showers, and water systems are currently being renovated.
“The facility needs to be ready. We have granted 10 days which is the embodiment of two weeks. They will make up somehow.”
The minister expressed concern over the current state of the school and assured that the government is committed to providing the necessary support to upgrade it to the standard expected of a national institution for gifted students.
“This is the only school of its kind in the country where we are supposed to assemble students who demonstrate special attitude and capacity for special training,” Mamman stated.
“We need to showcase the school and ensure the academic environment is suitable for that purpose.”
He acknowledged the efforts of the school’s principal, who has worked with limited resources but stressed that more substantial support is needed to achieve the school’s full potential.
“We are going to come in with a very massive support to elevate and bring the place to the standard it’s supposed to be,” he added.
Prof. Mamman also noted that the decay in school infrastructure is a nationwide issue, particularly in lower-tier institutions, and stressed the importance of creating learning environments where students want to stay, socialize, and thrive.
Pleased with the school’s newly structured skills acquisition center, the minister highlighted that skills development will be a key direction for Nigeria’s education system.
“Skill the system right from the foundation level to senior secondary school so that those who finish can have some skills and trade to engage themselves,” he said.
This, he noted, would provide students with a clearer career pathway and help them avoid being stranded after completing secondary education.