Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has strongly condemned President Bola Tinubu’s recent policy setting 18 years as the minimum age to write secondary school leaving exams and enter tertiary institutions in Nigeria. Atiku labeled the policy as outdated and a disincentive to education, arguing that it undermines the principles of federalism and intellectual freedom.
He expressed his concerns in a statement, emphasizing that education falls under the concurrent list in the Nigerian constitution, meaning that state governments should have more control over educational policies. He criticized the federal government’s approach as “extra-constitutional” and argued that such decisions should be left to state governments.
Furthermore, Atiku highlighted the policy’s failure to consider specially gifted students, calling it an embarrassment to Nigeria’s intellectual community. He urged the government to focus on identifying and supporting talented students rather than imposing restrictive age limits.