Follow Us on Google
The matter of the right age for children to begin formal education in schools have undergone several changes. Time was, we were told, when a child was told to put his or her hand above his head such that if the hand touches the ear across his head, then such a child is deemed fit to begin school. That was said to be the rather crude way of measuring it in the days of yore. It was believed that that was a natural way to know if a child had reached the age to comprehend the rudiments of early formal education. But things began to change.
It was not clear why that method was deployed. It maybe that there were too few schools at that time to cater for the surging demand and there needed to be a means of weeding out prospective pupils or it was simply intended to bring in the right people at the right age. But things changed because more schools were built to assuage the demand, just as parents became involved in commercial activities that denied them time to stay home with children who ought to be in school or somewhere outside the house so the parents could look for the means to settle the mounting bills for keeping the house.
But the bid to solve problems and meet needs led to the liberalization of schools, also given that the government could not meet the need meet of educational requirements of the people, other people began to build what became known as private schools as against public schools. The argument that government cannot meet the educational need of the people depends on which side of the divide one is examining the matter. There are legal provisions that make it mandatory for first nine years of formal school to be borne by government. It is a matter of priorities. Most governments are doing so now.
But tertiary institutions which used to be extremely utopian has increasingly ceased to be so. Since the creation of states way back in the unpleasant time of the civil war, a move with political motive that serves no useful purpose here, every state has strived to build its own University, polytechnic, and college of Education. These moves are to provide education to the people. It is believed that education is a fast track to personal and societal development. So much so that the federal government has said it would put a hold to establishment of new Universities for seven years.
The liberalization of the Nigerian economy which, began with the regime of Ibrahim Babangida, saw to the release of the seeming hold on broadcasting houses such that individuals were allowed to establish radio stations. The opening continue when existing Universities fell short of meeting the need for prospective students. Candidates sat for entrance examination several times to no avail. Government began to allow organizations to establish Universities, which was how the Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion held the record as the first person to establish a University in Nigeria on May 10, 1999 and opening its doors to students in October of the same year. More universities followed. At the last count there are 283 Universitates in Nigeria and 149 are privately owned by churches, organizations and individuals.
It has become relatively easy to secure admission into the University. But in recent times government has put another huddle in place for students. These days there is a tendency for students to complete secondary school before they turn 16. Some gifted ones, whose intellect is high do so.. Their rate of comprehension has a tendency to be higher than their age mates. In the recent past the report of a 14-year-old refused admission by a University in Nigeria became a subject of public attention. The University stood its ground. The matter got to the National Assembly but the girl did not make it. They said she was under age even when other intellectual apparatus showed that she could comprehend and cope with education at that level. Private Universities tended to be the answer for such situations. They were assuaged by private Universities given that they were not hell bent on the age benchmark. Now government has insisted that both private and public Universities must adhere to the age limit. Registration at the Joint Admission and Matriculation portal will shut you out if you are under 16 putting young admission seekers in a quandary. They have all the requirements but their age and giftedness become their albatross. There have been suggestions that students should learn a trade before they continue their quest for education.
That proposition is a right step in the right direction. It ought to apply to everybody not those below 16 who are compelled to look for other ways to engage themselves for the year. Some private Universities incorporate such skill acquisition into their curricula. Exceptional students, who qualify to be admitted into the University should not be denied their accelerated education because of their age. There may be a correlation between age and education but it should be implemented in a manner that does not work against gifted ones.
There maybe need to nip this at the bud by specifying the age for admission into secondary schools and Primary schools. The completion and readiness for University is a culmination of the process from the scratch. There ought to be a specific age for admission into Primary and secondary schools in order to ensure that prospective students do not complete the lower process before they turn 16. It would be frustrating, as it has turned out to be for prospective students who have been denied admission because they completed the lower process earlier.
Reports show that there is room for exceptional students outside our shores. We ought to make room for them within our shores as well. There may be need to take a second look at the this age policy for prospective students, and harmonize it to the advantage of everybody.
