The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Andrew Adejoh, made this known in Abuja on Saturday while monitoring the 2023 common entrance examinations into Unity Schools. The examination was organised by the National Examination Council.

A total of 72,821 candidates sat for the examination on Saturday nationwide.

Adejo said: “This year, I have advice for parents, and I beg you, take this advice to any single home you know. We are killing our children by allowing underage children to write the Common Entrance Examination.

“I saw children that I know that are not up to 10, and three of them accepted that they are nine years old. We are doing many things; one, we are teaching the children the wrong values. Education is not about passing exams. Education is teaching, learning and character formation

“I beg the parents, let these children do the exams when they should. We don’t get value by pushing your child too far. Most of the time, if a child starts too early, he or she will have problems later in life.

“Education is designed in such a way that at any particular stage in life, there are messages your brain can take and understand, and be able to use. We are moving from education that is reliant on reading textbooks and passing exams.

“We are getting to a stage where education is what you can use your knowledge to do for society. You put a small child to go through all the rigours, by the time he finishes secondary, getting to University becomes a problem. I had that experience with a friend. Till date that friend did not get into a University, simply because he was put into school earlier than age that he was supposed to be put into school.

“Let our children get to an appropriate age before writing this exam and we are going to make sure NECO puts in place appropriate checks. We didn’t want to get to the point where we would say “bring a birth certificate,” but that is the stage we are going to now. In registering, also upload the child’s birth certificate, so that at our own end, we are able to cut some of these things.”

The Permanent Secretary also noted that the efforts of the Federal Government and other stakeholders in encouraging girls’ education are yielding fruit, saying the number of girls that registered for the Common Entrance Examination this year is 38,000, far above the previous years.

The Registrar of NECO, Professor Dantani Wushishi, said the conduct of the examination was generally smooth and orderly, saying from the reports received from across the country, the examination went on hitch-free.

While confirming that 72,821 candidates registered for the 2023 National Common Entrance Examination, Wushishi disclosed that Lagos State had the highest enrollment, followed by FCT, while the state with the lowest registration, Kebbi, has about 115 registered candidates.

He noted that the Council would put in place mechanisms to check some of the noticeable gaps caused by an upsurge in registration a day before the examination.

HacheNoire:
Finally!

Parents also need to be enlightened about the ills of aiding their kids.

CondenseMilk:
Very true!

Being educated means that you have been found worthy of character and in learning.

Grades sometimes makes us to lose the real sense of Life.

successmatters:


Some children are smarter than others, one size cannot be allowed to fit all.

CondenseMilk:
Very true!

Being educated means that you have been found worthy of character and in learning.

Grades sometimes makes us to lose the real sense of Life.

HacheNoire:


No matter how smart, theor should be a standard. Even in the university, some students are extra ordinary smart than the others.

Their is no class in the educational system where everyone has the same brilliance, and that should not be a reason to be fast racking kids classes

successmatters:


What am saying is that all children should be allowed to develop at their pace, if one can pass the exams without problems, he should be matured enough to take the class.

I even think the curriculum is being lowered in this country to ensure that some people must pass.

HacheNoire:


Then their wouldn’t be standards again, cos parents will now be aiding X2 and X3 promotion for kids.

It’s not even healthy for the kids. Let them enjoy their childhood and youthfulness.

successmatters:


I have issues with you use of "aiding"

Is it that the parents help these children to pass the exams?

HacheNoire:



Yes!

That’s what mostly plays. They skip in primary, pay off common entrance, enroll in special centers for jamb, and boom!

successmatters:


That's a different topic from what was written up there.

HacheNoire:


They pay to skip classes and also happens on merit. I am a Nigerian and this moves are not hidden.

HacheNoire:


They pay to skip classes and also happens on merit. I am a Nigerian and this moves are not hidden.


I have seen parents change school when it’s disallowed present school, only to go enroll the child in another school where he will enrolled into a higher class

successmatters:


That's a different topic from what was written up there. This present topic is about how to ban underage children from honestly passing the exams and getting ahead in their lives.

successmatters:


When the child cannot pass the FSLC?

HacheNoire:


Sorry please, what’s FSLC?

successmatters:


First school leaving certificate

HacheNoire:


They should not be writing the exam in the first place. Their should be age limits. I am just giving a deeper insight about the ills.

HacheNoire:


Oh! That can be worked out! It’s has become a competitions that parents already know how to find their way out.

Visit a common entrance center one of this days, you will be shocked.

successmatters:


I understand you but oppose your views. There shouldn't be age restrictions for gifted children in education or anything else.

Michael Jackson should have been banned from music till he turned 18 !

HacheNoire:


Nice point you raised, music!

Music is an extra-curricular activity with the likes of sports and so many other things. It still won’t make you skip classes.

In some countries, if you extra ordinary brilliant and can pass pass a certain exam, students are grouped into special classes to enhance those qualities. That doesn’t mean you are going to jump from grade 1 to grade 3. But you have special classes you attend that indirectly puts you ahead of your pairs.

You cannot skip the planned curriculum

successmatters:


In truth, I have never seen such. And I will condemn and attempt by any parent to bribe the school for their children.

I am only against banning children who can pass on their own brilliance from getting ahead in life.

HacheNoire:


I am sure that is what the government is trying to get at, they just don’t want to spell it out.

You will find expo in common entrance examination centers, and you start wondering, who paid for it.

The system has been abused.

successmatters:


Good, good, but in Nigeria where there are no special classes, the bright children who can solve calculux at age 6 will be banned and kept back just because their mates cannot do the same till they turn 30? 😀

Do you now see the problems of Nigeria?

successmatters:


The school and other unscrupulous elements leak question papers everywhere, especially in a corruption ridden area like this one. Don't blame the parents for what you are not sure they caused.

HacheNoire:


And when Tunde’s dad sees that his neighbors kid has skipped class, he also pushes for it. That’s what the system is causing.

Their should be age brackets.