The enrollment of younger pupils below 12 in secondary schools has been condemned by the Nigerian government as it is a breach of the nation’s education policy.
The Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education, Andrew Adejoh, stated this on Saturday while monitoring the National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) in the country’s federal government colleges.
Mr Adejoh expressed the government’s determination to enforce the policy, insisting that the practice contributes significantly to the challenges facing the country’s education system.
He accused parents of continually breaching the policy.
The official said the recommended age of entrance into secondary schools is contained in the country’s National Policy on Education.
The National Policy on Education, which was last revised in 2013, anchors the pupils’ age on completion of primary education at 11, noting that at age 12, pupils are expected to be in Junior Secondary School 1.
