A Professor of Education at the University of Abuja, Abdulwasiu Gabadeen, has warned that the 18-year admission benchmark into tertiary institutions might cause many Nigerians to go through corrupt ways to achieve what they want.
Gabadeen who was speaking during an interview with NewsNGR, however, noted that the minister of education was activating an existing law which stipulated that a child begins primary school at the age of six.
“The National Policy on Education stipulates a child to start up schooling at age six and he is supposed to spend six years in primary school. This child will now transmit to secondary school that is divided into two; three on junior and three on senior, making it a cumulative six.
“If a child passes through this process, naturally, his admission into a tertiary education will be at 18. That is what he is trying to activate,” he said.
Gabadeen however stated that the implementation of the policy will not only breed corruption but will also create a crisis for the sector.
He stated that rather than commencing the policy from the terminal class, the minister should start it up from the entry class.
“Rather than looking at it from the terminal class, the minister should have looked at it from the entry point. If you are a child to finish SS3 at age 18.
“What that means is that nobody should admit a child into JSS 1 who is not up to 12 years old. The damage will be minimal. To be telling a child already in SS3 who is less than 18 years old and already preparing to write the UTME that you are not up to 18, you cannot write, will be more demoralising.
“The entry point is what he should tighten up. As it is now if care is not taken, people will start going through other corrupt practices to get what they want,” he said.
Gabadeen also advised the minister to call a stakeholders meeting to deliberate on the matter to avert any crisis that might arise.