Atiku Abubakar has condemned the Nigerian government's directive restricting university admissions to candidates over 18. He criticized the policy as detrimental to scholarship and argued that it contradicts federalism, suggesting the focus should be on supporting gifted students rather than imposing age limits.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has strongly criticized the Nigerian federal government's recent directive prohibiting the admission of candidates younger than 18 years into tertiary institutions. He expressed his concerns in a statement shared on his Facebook page, likening President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to a "lost sailor on a high sea."
The directive, issued by Minister of Education Tahir Mamman, aligns with the country's 6-3-3-4 education system, stating that students under 18 are not mature enough to navigate university life effectively. Mamman noted that parents often pressure younger children to take entrance examinations, leading to their premature admission into universities. He emphasized the importance of maturity during this transitional phase in a young person’s life.
However, Atiku vehemently opposed this age limit, labeling it as absurd and detrimental to academic opportunities. He argued that the policy contradicts the principles of federalism, which grants sub-national governments greater authority over educational matters. “The federal government should not legislate on education like a decree,” he remarked, asserting that such policies inhibit scholarship and intellectual freedom.
Atiku further criticized the government for neglecting the needs of gifted students, pointing out that instead of imposing age restrictions, the government should focus on identifying and supporting exceptional talents. He concluded that this outdated policy deserves universal condemnation from advocates of educational access and freedom, asserting that Nigeria must embrace a more inclusive approach to education.
