Former Vice President and 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has sharply criticized President Bola Tinubu’s new policy on age limits for tertiary education admissions, denouncing it as a relic of the “Stone Ages.”
The controversy surrounding Tinubu’s administration includes a certificate scandal involving both his high school and university credentials. Tinubu has been accused of falsely claiming completion of secondary education at a time when the school in question did not exist.
In a statement on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Atiku condemned the Federal Ministry of Education’s policy, which imposes age restrictions for entering tertiary institutions. He labeled the policy an “absurdity” and a “disincentive to scholarship,” arguing that it undermines the principles of a federal system where sub-national governments hold significant authority over education.
Atiku pointed out that the Nigerian constitution places education on the concurrent list, granting sub-national governments greater control over educational affairs than the federal government. He argued that imposing such regulations unilaterally is “extra-constitutional.”
He questioned the rationale behind the policy, given the numerous challenges facing Nigeria’s educational system. According to Atiku, the global best practice is to allow regional governments to set their own educational standards and regulations.
The former vice president also expressed disappointment that the new policy failed to address the needs of exceptionally gifted students. He criticized this omission as an embarrassment to Nigeria’s intellectual community, implying a lack of recognition for talented students.
Atiku argued that if the federal government were to engage in education policy, its role should be to identify and provide scholarships to gifted students, regardless of their age. He concluded by urging widespread condemnation of the policy, describing it as outdated and counterproductive to the advancement of education and scholarship.
