₦airaland Forum

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nairalanda1:
By Farooq A. Kperogi

The directive by education minister Professor Tahir Mamman to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council to not register candidates who are below 18 for next year’s school certificate examinations is generating knee-jerk resistance from people who are obviously nescient of the psychology and philosophy behind age benchmarks in education.


In most countries of the world, children don’t start primary school until they are 6, and young adults don’t start university until they are 18. That used to be true in Nigeria, too—until parents chose to skirt the law, upend time-tested tradition, and commit mass child abuse in the name of fast-tracking the education their children.

In fact, contrary to what the Nigerian news media has been reporting, Professor Mamman has not created a new law; he is only implementing the existing law. He hasn’t “banned” under-18 students from taking school certificate exams; he has merely chosen to enforce an extant law, which has been serially violated by overeager parents who want their children to get ahead by any means.


The 1982 education policy, also called the 6:3:3:4 system, requires that children should be at least 5 years old to start pre-primary school and at least 6 years old to start primary school. If a 6-year-old spends 6 years in primary school, 3 years in junior secondary school, and another 3 years in secondary school, they would be 18 by the time they graduate from secondary school.

This is the global standard. In the United States, students apply to enter universities between the ages of 18 and 19 (because if you don’t turn 6 in September of the year you want to start First Grade, you have to wait until next year). In Finland, Canada, the Netherlands, Japan, South Africa, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Denmark, etc. it is 18.

The age benchmark isn’t arbitrary. It is based on time-honored insights from developmental psychology and educational research, which examined the cognitive, social, and emotional developments of children.

For example, Jean Piaget’s stages of cognitive development tell us that around age 6, children transition from what is called the preoperational stage to the concrete operational stage, at which point they begin to develop logical thinking, which is essential for learning the structured curriculum of primary school education, such as reading, writing, and mathematics.

Research also shows that children develop the social skills needed to interact with peers and teachers in a school environment and the attention span necessary to learn, absorb information, and stay engaged at 6, and that children who start school too early struggle with these skills, which can lead to long-term challenges in academic and social areas.

That was why the late Professor Aliu Babatunde Fafunwa was famous for saying any education of children before the age of 5 is a waste of time and even child abuse. From ages 1 through 5, children should be allowed to be children: sleep, play, laugh, and grow. Of course, I recognize that because most mothers now work, enrolling children in schools earlier than is ideal is a necessity. But the busy schedule of parents is no excuse to buck science, ignore the requirements of a well-integrated childhood, and contribute to the mass production of maladjusted adults.

Similarly, research in developmental psychology shows that by age 18, most teenagers have reached a level of emotional and social maturity that enables them to live independently, make decisions, and handle the challenges of university life.

Neuroscientific research also shows that the brain continues to develop well into the early twenties, particularly the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for decision-making, impulse control, and planning. By age 18, the brain has typically matured enough to handle the complex cognitive demands of higher education.

Plus, in many countries, including in Nigeria, 18 is the age of legal adulthood, which aligns with the transition to university. This legal framework supports the idea that students are ready to take on the responsibilities associated with higher education, such as managing their own time, finances, and education.

Of course, as with everything, there are always exceptions. Precocious children can and do skip grades and start university earlier than 18 even in the United States and elsewhere. There are exceptionally gifted children who graduate from university as early as 11. But such students undergo rigorous tests to determine that they have intelligence that is far ahead of normal developmental schedules. They are also few and far between.

That’s not the situation in Nigeria. Just like our bad national habit of always wanting to jump the queue—what Americans call cut in line—Nigerian parents have, over the years, developed impatience for the normal development schedules of their children and want them to get ahead against the evidence of science, common sense, and even the law of the land.

It is not because their children are exceptional. In fact, they are often mediocre. For example, my brother’s son, who is only 14 years old and with average intelligence, registered to take his WAEC exam this year. I told my brother that was inexcusable child abuse.

Nigeria has a bad reputation across the world for sending underage children not just to domestic universities but also to foreign universities. People who work at the International Student and Scholar Services at the university where I am a professor have asked me multiple times why only Nigeria sends underage students here.

The consensus is that such students often lack maturity, have difficulty engaging in adult conversations, and struggle to fit in and get the best of the opportunities they have.

Several Nigerians who teach at other U.S. universities share the same stories. As I pointed out earlier, here in the United States, like in most other countries of the world, students don’t begin their undergraduate education until they are 18, which also happens to be the age of consent. A student who is under 18, by law, can’t attend several extra-curricular activities undergraduates typically take part in.

They need waivers signed by their parents to participate in certain activities, but since their parents are often in Nigeria, they pose logistical nightmares for universities.

For example, in the United States, by law, you can’t sign a lease agreement (to rent an apartment) if you are not at least 18 years old. Many underage Nigerian undergraduates at my school require an adult to co-sign for them. Since their parents are in Nigeria, the burden often falls on Nigerian professors and staff, who are understandably reluctant to co-sign leases of underage strangers who could break their agreements and put us in legal jeopardy.

Dating is also a treacherous legal minefield for the American classmates of underage Nigerian undergraduates in American universities. Having intimate relationship with anyone who is under 18 is statutory rape, even if it is consensual. I am aware of the story of a 17-year-old second-year Nigerian undergraduate girl who had a disagreement with her boyfriend who was from another African country.

Neighbors called the police to intervene. When the police asked for their ID cards, they discovered that the Nigerian girl was underaged. It led to the imprisonment—and later deportation— of the man for statutory rape even when their relationship was consensual. Stories like this are not unique.

Unless someone is exceptionally gifted, which should be proved conclusively with special tests, they should not start university earlier than 18. Fortunately, that is already the law, which is informed by the consensus of research findings in developmental psychology, neuroscience, and social research. Professor Mamman has only signaled his readiness to apply the law. He has my full support.

I read that the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) said they would sue the federal government for indicating readiness to implement a law that has been in the books for more than 40 years. Good luck with that!

SAUCE:https://www.farooqkperogi.com/2024/08/the-18-year-old-age-limit-for-school.html

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AcuraZDX:
It also showed that the Yoruba ethnic group accounted for 53 per cent of tests, followed by Igbo (31.3 per cent), with Hausa at only 1.20 per cent.

The statistics showed that most of the children tested were aged 0-five (54.0 per cent), suggesting a preference for early paternity confirmation.



https://gazettengr.com/negative-paternity-tests-high-yoruba-accounted-for-53-igbo-31-3-hausa-1-20-testing-trends-dna-report/

ewedunamala:
Another hypocritical move by npawarian claiming is South Africans

millionaireman:
Friend, your write-up is mostly unintelligible.

I repeat: they never born anyone who will create a sixth state in the southeast area without having Orlu senatorial district as the nucleus, or whole, of the new state. This is not military govt. The formula that gave rise to the five southeast states must be followed for a 6th state in the southeast area.

Old Enugu State got divided in 1996 to get the largest part - Abakaliki zone for Ebonyi State. Tiny part of Ebonyi state came from old Abia state. Njaba/(Orlu) state proposal should have been created the same time, but it was diverted to make the 7th state in the NW area.

It's NATURALLY the turn of Imo and Anambra States to contribute local government areas for a sixth state in the southeast area. If ndi Anambra South are not willing to join Imo West (Orlu) senatorial zone for a sixth state in the southeast area, the 12 local government areas of Imo West (Orlu) senatorial zone are large and populated enough for a state. Bayelsa state has 8 local government areas, and less human population than Imo West (Orlu) senatorial zone.
A lot of the states in the north of Nigeria have less human population than Imo West (Orlu) Senatorial district.

millionaireman:
See what one X user wrote recently:

If you're not from Orsumoghu you just can't say anything and I'll let it fly. I'm from Orsumoghu and I stand to say that Orsumoghu is the victim. My town is a ghost town because of the Military, Ebubeagu, UGM, IPOB. Orsumoghu and Iseke are strategic locations as it borders Anambra and Imo.
Orsumoghu and Iseke youths who do their businesses in their locality have now abandoned their homes because they are being used as the scapegoat by the military, labeling them IPOB members. They go into people's houses pick up young men and waste them because everyone in Orsumoghu and Iseke are IPOB members. Do you know how ridiculous that is? I missed by brother's burial because I was advised not to return as i could be picked up by military or Ebubeagu and identified as a UGM or IPOB.

Young men in Orsumoghu and Iseke have no choice but to fight the Military, Ebubeagu and UGM. So please, don't accuse my people without having the accurate knowledge of the activities going on in my town. If the military wants to make an impact then they should do so by collaborating with the community. We have leaders in Orsumoghu and Iseke, they're aren't leaders for nothing.

The Military have done more evil than good in Orsumoghu and Iseke Community.

In 1976, the name, Anambra was invented by military govt led by Muritalla Mohammed which created Anambra and Imo states that year. Before then, Orsumoghu in Nnewi South, Iseke, Uli, Amorka, and many other autonomous communities in southern Anambra were in Orlu division. They and Orlu are all affected by the mayhem of unknown gunmen and soldiers.
Many of you who jump upandan with my Anambala is monolithic would be in primary school in 2005 when the political leaders of Anambra south senatorial zone led by then gov of Anambra state, joined the political leaders of Orlu senatorial zone to demand 🫴 for Njaba state. This time, they called it Orlu state apparently because Njaba is also the name of a local government area much younger than Orlu Municipal local government area.
Stop attacking the intelligence of your fathers, the same way many of you attacked Ohaneze Nd'Igbo and called it Ohaneze ndi ori. Today, has Ohaneze Nd'Igbo not been vindicated? Do not believe that fighting another war to regain Biafra becomes easier with making Anioma to be the additional state in the southeast zone.

millionaireman:
Stop criminalising Orlu people. They are among the most peaceful set of Igbos.

They never born any group which will create an additional state in the southeast without having Orlu zone as the nucleus of the new state. Look at the past pattern of creating the 5 states in the southeast.
Why will anyone look beyond Imo and Anambra states and go elsewhere for additional state in the southeast?? Anioma can't be a state in the southeast. Even many Anioma people have refused to be part of the southeast.

B2mario:
Chai, I pity for you because it is quite obvious that you are having mental and psychological problem. It is a known fact that Orlu people are the richest Igbo and the first to discover trading in west Africa. They are the pure Isu and Orsu. They are divided unequally into Imo and Anambra. They are the ones that occupied Orlu zone and some parts of Okigwe and Mbano in Imo state, Isuochi and Isukwuato in Abia state, Ihiala, Nnewi, Aguatta and Orumba in Anambra state and Igbouzo and Ogwashi ukwu in Delta.

You don't want Orlu state because you know that some of them or even all in Anambra state will be carved into the new state thereby making Anambra state to because empty. What has Anambra state offered to these people carved into it? Rather it is these people that are investing heavily to this ungrateful and unprogressive state.

You know that the creation of Orlu state will lead to fall of Onitsha and that is what majority of you want to trickishly prevent by working against Orlu state. Those Orlu indigenes who are doing extremely well in Onitsha will relocate their businesses and pharmaceutical industries to Orlu town.


Anambra state is very stagnant and the least progressive state in the whole of southeastern states. Stop being foolish and ginger your government to work and develop the state and stop thinking that defending it online will change people's narrative about it. That state is a disgrace. Anytime people travel to Anambra state and come back to north they will always tell us how noisy cheat beating we are, that nothing is in our place. That Anambra state that supposed to be the leading Igbo state is urgly, disorganized and lack good roads. But when they travel to Imo, Enugu, Abia and Ebonyi and come back they will be shouting and asking us what are we doing in the north since our places are developed? That it is only small thing that separated us from developed countries of Europe. That our cities are planned, beautiful, well kept and contain more of high and beautiful storey buildings.

Guy wake up, Anambra as a state is a disgrace to Igbo land. The most disorganized state I've ever seen. And the indigenes will be online defending something that when you travel to it, it becomes crystal clear to you.
Is this not foolishness. Keep on attacking Imo, trying to paint it black online while we keep on making progress.

You can't keep telling Nigerians that Imo people are poor while in every city they know and see Orlu people's achievement and keep on asking questions about Orlu people. Orlu people are the richest in Aba and Onitsha cities. Go and conduct your research.

Amah70:
Mere pronouncement of Anioma to be the sixth state for the southeast area does not add any political advantage to the southeast area because they don't share federal allocations, Quota System political representation, federal projects etc; according to zones. An Anioma State in the Southsouth area will be more advantageous to Nd'Igbo. Stop bamboozling the uninitiated in the southeast with that "we are reuniting to our brothers in both sides of the river Niger through Anioma State as sixth state for the southeast area." It's only the southeast Igbos at the lowest level of the ladder 🪜 who buy that reuniting stuff.
You can't bamboozle the political class from the southeast who asked for Orlu state. They know that a sixth state for the southeast must come from Imo and Anambra States or from Imo or Anambra State.

Amah70:
Igboland is also in southsouth. You want to restrict Igboland solely to Southeast because of a tiny advantage of yours for Anioma state to be taken to the southeast. Develop more sense, brother.

Amah70:
Why didn't you clamour for Anioma instead of Ebonyi state then?
Abakaliki would have remained a semi urban semi rural district today. This is what you wish for Orlu zone whose turn it naturally is to present the nucleus or the entire 6th state in the southeast any time new state shall be created.

The Igbo person from the southeast clamouring for Anioma as sixth state in the southeast stupeedly believes he will use rope to tie Anioma state to the southeast area. He foolishly believes that Anioma increase his fighting force against Nigeria. He foolishly believes that a river can divide one ethnic group. He believes that river Niger divides his southeast Igbo from Anioma.
The Aniomas capitalise on the foolishness of these apolitical Igbos to tell us of Anioma as 6th state in the SE zone.

Nigeria's politics is played in Abuja by states not by zones.
Some other Igbo people from the southeast erroneously believe that land mass is considered when creating states.
Poor you.

Unbiased1:
Anioma currently has 1 senator. If Anioma becomes a state, it will have 3 senators which means more Igbo senators. If Anioma can have 3 senators instead of 1 when it becomes a state, what stops Anioma from having more representatives? Which state in Nigeria has 3 or less representatives? None. So what makes you think Anioma will remain with it's current 2 reps when it becomes a state?

Amah70:
Nothing in this Nigeria will make Anioma become a 6th state for the SE. Igbos are not stupeeed. Anioma as sixth state for the SE actually shortchanges Igbos. It reduces political representation for Ndiigbo. It reduces federal allocations to Nd'Igbo. Anioma shares the federal allocations to Delta state. Anioma controls Delta state. Anioma State in the Southsouth is of more advantages to Nd'Igbo than Anioma State in the southeast.

Ikumapkayi:
Another wailing DisObidient!

ALTERNATEID:
Too bad for Rishi Sunak. For someone of Indian heritage, he took over as PM at the worst time possible. Managing the economic challenges that came with Covid-19 has been difficult all over the world. No magic could have made him win the election.

Congratulations to Keir Starmer. This is a very massive victory that was thought impossible just five years ago. Now that he will be assuming office as PM, it’s time to face the reality and walk the talk. He will no longer be the opposition leader criticizing everything and making the man in office look so bad. Let’s see the magic he will perform in the next one year.

To those bad losers from Nigeria, there is a lesson here for you guys. The losers accepted defeat without blaming anyone or lying that they won. The leader of the party that came third did not go on live TV to falsely claim they won the election unlike in Nigeria where a candidate that couldn’t even get 25% of vote cast in 15 states somehow started claiming he won the election.

hammer567:
WHERE ARE THE REPS FOR ORUMBA NORTH AND SOUTH THAT WAS INCLUDED IN ETITI STATE.



THEY NEED TO REGISTER THEIR DISPLEASURE AND ISSUE DISCLAIMER TO NASS.




IF WE KEEP QUIET ORLU AND ETITI WILL TEAR OUR BELOVED STATES APART.




WE HAVE CONFIRMATION AND AGREEMENT ON ANIOMA, WITHOUT THE DISTRACTION THE PUSH SHOULD BE TO REMOVE IGBANKE AND OTHER IGBO COMMUNITIES IN EDO TO ANIOMA.




ADADA STATE WILL REMOVE IGBO COMMUNITIES FROM KOGI AND BENUE.




ANIOMA IS THE 6TH STATE OF SE, ANY FURTHER STATE CREATION SHOULD BE ADADA.

kikake:
Halfwit. A

kikake:
Anioma Reps plus Reps from Orlu state increases political representation of Nd'Idgbo at Abuja central government.


But making Anioma a sixth state for the southeast area actually reduces political representation of Nd'Igbo at the Abuja central urban.

Use your head. It's simple Arithmetic.
How can lowering political representation for Nd'Igbo in Abuja central government by making Anioma be 6th state in the southeast, be at the interest of the average Igbo person?

kikake:
Ishi o di kwa gi mma?

If time ever comes again to fight for Biafra, every reasonable Igbo whether in Anioma or in Rivers state or in the southeast will join for it.

But for now we are talking about Representation of Igbos in the central government of Nigeria. The more Igbo Reps in Abuja central government, the more voices for whatever Nd'Igbo want from 🇳🇬. Nigeria


War for Biafra has been fought. Now, roundtable conference is what to give us Biafra, like it was done for East Timor 🇹🇱, South Sudan 🇸🇸, etc. Nigeria will be tired before long. Nearly every country in the world today broke away from another mother country.
Kpakoo onwe gi onu. Those who went for Orlu state knew that it's the most merited as the 6th state in the southeast area. Their predecessors did the same thing but called it Njaba in 2006,

kikake:
Taa mechie onu. A wum nwa Isu umuozu n'Orlu zone 100%.
I cho Biafra n'alulu ogu, I gaghi enweta Biafra without too much collateral damages n'ala Igbo.

Hapu ndi Anioma where they are in the Southsouth. The river does not separate people of same ethnicity.
And stop insulting. Marshall out your points against Orlu state.

kikake:
Only clowns from the southeast can ask for Anioma state to be the 6th state in the southeast area.

Clowns don't count the pros and cons of what they go for.
If not for adequate political representation and getting shares from federal allocations, southeast will not ask for 6th state. Anioma represents Nd'Igbo in the Southsouth. Federal allocations of Delta state go first to Asaba. So why would Nd'Igbo forefeit these advantages from Anioma but collapse Anioma into a state in the southeast area?

kikake:
A village wag like you will not even know what has transpired behind you.

kikake:
We are in a democracy.

Orlu is in the same grade with Awka and Abakaliki. It's like you are from Anioma.
Where state capital is to be located can be decided via Referendum. But stop rewritting history of states creation in the SE zone.
The 5th state in the southeast zone was cut largely from Enugu state and little parts of Abia state. Obviously, a 6th state must be from Orlu senatorial zone of 12 local government areas. If Anambra south refused to be part of Orlu state, there are states with just 8 local government areas.
What makes you hate Orlu to the extent of rewriting history of states creation in the southeast area?

kikake:
Much of the local government areas in Anambra south were in Old Orlu division in East Central State and before it.
The name Anambra started like yesterday.

Even today, a lot of Church Parishes in Anambra south are in Orlu Dioceses.

Military govts divided East Central State and called one side Imo and the other side Anambra. Some people created an imaginary Anambra which everyone in Anambra is a million miles ahead of rest of mankind. They create a monster of any other place in the southeast. Inferiority complex.

Whether you dislike Orlu or not:
You can't divide Enugu State for the 2nd time to make Nsukka zone a state while Imo state remains with Owerri, Orlu and half of old Okigwe zone.
Ebonyi state was largely cut from old Enugu State.

Whether you hate Orlu or not:

you can't create Anioma as sixth state for the southeast because doing that lowers political representation for Nd'Igbo in the centre.

kikake:
Why did Owerri take everything govt developmnt institutions in Imo state to Owerri if not that Owerri knew that it shares little or no culture with Orlu and Okigwe zones?
As Owerri denied Orlu and Okigwe all instruments that elicit modern development in Imo state, and located all in Owerri area, why Owerri still kick against creation of Orlu state

kikake:
Shortsighted and primitive.

We ask for 6th state primarily for adequate political representation for Nd'Igbo of the SE in the Central government of Nigeria.
.
Anambra people never objected when the oil bearing part of old East Central State was created as Imo state and cut off from Anambra people
Today, is long time oil producing Imo state wealthier than Anambra State? No.
From Owerri you people don't see beyond the nose when it comes to doing justice in having Orlu senatorial zone as the nucleus of a sixth state in the southeast. You people in Owerri know that Owerri does not share much in common with Orlu.

yarimo:
Mr chinedu obigwe the Paid and unfortunate man, Senator ifeanyi ubah is the next anambra state governor according to majority of voters in the state

Objectivist04:
All these your Owerri people Owerri people
If l may ask, who are theses o called Owerri people that granted a former governor persona non grata ?

If they are this powerful as you want us to believe, why haven't they been able to wrestle power from Orlu people since 1999 ?

You want us to believe that they can't grab power but they can control those in power ?

Why are we not hearing Nike or nkanu people from enugu indigenes ?.
Why are we not hearing Awka people from anamberans ?
Why not Umuahia people from abians.
Or Abakalili people from ebonyians .

Why always you guys despite dominating the leadership of your state since 1999.
Don't you think that there is something fondamentally wrong with Orlu people ?

It is just like north wailing that south east is the reason for their backwardness despite ruling Nigeria since 1960.
.
Honestly you are an irritant.