AGE RESTRICTIONS: DR. ESURUOSO IDENTIFIES TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS AS LEARNING GROUND FOR ADULTS

…. Empathizes On Adulthood begining at 18.

In recent developments, the Federal Government of Nigeria announced age restrictions for students taking the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, exams and entering higher institutions. This announcement sparked significant debate across the country.

In this report, the Project Lead for Safe School Lagos,SSLAG, Dr. Bisi Esuruoso weighed in on the matter, emphasizing that tertiary education is intended for adults, and the Nigerian Constitution classifies individuals under 18 as minors.

According to Dr. Esuruoso,universities should only admit those who have attained adulthood, as these institutions do not provide the oversight necessary for younger students. She highlighted the challenges underage students might face, such as the lack of curfews, absence of babysitters, and the presence of mixed-gender residence halls.

The educationist also pointed out that insurance policies in developed countries often do not cover minors on university campuses, underscoring the importance of maturity for independent study and research.

While acknowledging that some exceptionally talented children may be ready for higher education before the age of 18, Dr. Esuruoso insisted that these should be rare exceptions, not the rule. ”The maturity needed to navigate university life successfully is generally not present in those under 18, she argued.

Referring to a recent headline in The Guardian Newspaper, where a university lecturer criticized the government’s focus on the age restriction, suggesting it was misplaced, the education advocate readers to carefully consider the government’s efforts to address critical issues like child marriage rather than conflating them with the debate over education policy.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria has been actively working to combat child marriage, as evidenced by the recent National Dialogue on Ending Child Marriage, supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and UNICEF”.

“With data indicating that four out of every ten girls in Nigeria are married before the age of 18, the government is under pressure to take decisive action”.

Dr. Esuruoso however stressed that the minimum age requirement for school exams and university entry is a separate matter and should not be confused with the government’s stance on child marriage.

She urged all Nigerians to work within their spheres of influence to help combat the menace of child marriage while recognizing the importance of maturity in higher education.