The Federal Government has announced the possibility of exempting exceptionally intelligent students below the age of 18 from the minimum age requirement to sit for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and National Examinations Council (NECO) exams.
This was revealed by the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, during a tour of the Federal Government Academy, Suleja, also known as the National School for the Gifted, in Abuja on Thursday.
When asked about the potential for an age exemption at a school known for nurturing gifted students, the Minister responded, “It may not [apply], and we are going to develop criteria to guide what we will call gifted children.”
Prof. Mamman also announced that the resumption date for students of the Federal Government Academy, Suleja, has been extended by two weeks due to ongoing renovations at the school.
Instead of resuming on Sunday, September 8, students will now resume on September 18, barring any unforeseen circumstances.
The Minister stated that students should not return to an environment that is unconducive for learning, as the school’s facilities are still under repair.
“We cannot have these young children here when there is work ongoing. The plumbing facilities, showers, water, and everything are a bit unstructured due to the ongoing work, so the facility needs to be ready,” the Minister stated.
Prof. Mamman expressed concerns over the current state of the school, pledging the government’s commitment to providing the necessary support to upgrade the institution to meet its purpose.
“This is the only school of its kind in the country where we are supposed to assemble students who demonstrate special attitude and capacity for special training,” Prof. Mamman said.
“What we have seen doesn’t really answer our expectations, but we are going to come in with massive support to elevate the school to the standard it should be,” he added.
