Education council approves incorporation of 16yrs entry age into national policy

Okays framework for implementing 12-year compulsory basic education   The National Council on Education (NCE) has approved the incorporation of the 16 years minimum admission age policy to tertiary institutions into the National Policy on Education in Nigeria. This is even as it approved that the federal ministry of education should, through wider stakeholders’ engagement, […]

• Okays framework for implementing 12-year compulsory basic education

 

The National Council on Education (NCE) has approved the incorporation of the 16 years minimum admission age policy to tertiary institutions into the National Policy on Education in Nigeria.

This is even as it approved that the federal ministry of education should, through wider stakeholders’ engagement, commence the process of developing a framework for the implementation of a 12-year compulsory basic education programme.

This was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the Extra-Ordinary Meeting of the National Council on Education (NCE) held in February 6, 2025, in Abuja, signed by the   Permanent Secretary, Dr Nasir Sani Gwarzo.

The council also approved the increase of Universal Basic Education (UBE) funding to 5 per cent to support the proposed 12 years of compulsory basic education with 1% for Early Childhood Care, Development and Education (ECCDE).

The communiqué, which was officially adopted on February 6, 2025, also approved that FME should commence the process of reviewing the national policy on the use of the mother tongue or language of the immediate community as a medium of instruction in primary schools.

Others approved by the council include the development of a National Policy for Almajiri education in Nigeria, the draft National Policy on Anti-Bullying in Nigerian Schools for implementation and the draft Policy Framework for transitioning Federal Science and Technical Colleges (FSTCs) to FTCs in Nigeria to serve as a working and reference document for Federal, States, the FCT and other relevant stakeholders;

While also approving the comprehensive revitalisation programme for VEIs and STCs including integration with reviewed NSQF, infrastructure and equipment upgrade, it also approved the establishment of a committee to oversee the revitalization programme.

The council also urged states and FCT to provide offices for the National Almajiri and Out of School Commission to facilitate their operations, adopt the National Policy on Anti-bullying in Nigerian schools and its implementation guidelines and to put in place appropriate measures to ensure immediate implementation of the National Policy on anti-bullying in Nigerian schools among others.