BAN ON SS1, 2 FROM TAKING WAEC, NECO: FG Should Interfere With Banks, NNPC, Others From Pegging Recruitment Age at 26 Yrs – De Erudite Media CEO
By Chinazom Hyginus
October 7, 2021
The CEO of De Erudite Communications and Multimedia Services, the publisher of De Erudite Magazines (The Eyes of Africa), Amb Celestine Ugochukwu Anadi has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to review the employment age of Nigerian graduates from the various higher institutions of learning by some sectors such as Banks, NNPC among other Government agencies, as well as Private establishments.
De Erudite Media CEO Amb Anadi made the call following the recently move by the Federal Government through the Ministry of education to place a class restriction on students at the level of Senior Secondary One and Two, from partaking in the WAEC, NECO among other related examination.
It would be recalled that the Senate Committee on Basic Education said it would pursue the amendment of the law establishing the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to enable it limit the age of candidates writing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME to 16 years and above.
Furthermore, the committee noted that candidates should not be admitted into the university below the age of 18 as age has a lot to do with his learning ability.
Consequent upon the development, Amb Celestine Anadi who is also Chairman Odinma Anambra Forum OAF, however, commended the Senate for the move towards putting a level restriction against those who are not up to the senior secondary III, from participating in exams such as the WAEC, NECO, NAPTEB etc.
However, Amb Anadi further pointed out that the employment age placed at twenty seven years and below by Banks, NNPC, other Government agencies as well as Private establishments should as a result of the latest development be also reviewed, to enable graduates from the various institutions who are to be above the current stipulated age be able to cope with the system.
” There is an urgent need for the Federal Government to adjust the required age limit for employment of Nigerians who graduated from the various institutions of learning in the country”.
” If the age requirement for those seeking admission is eighteen years and above, the age gap between the time of their graduation and job employment required by government institutions and private establishments would be affected whereby the graduates would have the challenges as regards years to engage in the system”.
“Some sectors such as Bank and other Government agencies place their recruitment age at twenty six years and below.
” Meanwhile, the step of federal government at this time is commendable because of the severe pressure on children and students by parents and guardians who want their children to complete their degrees as quickly as possible.
Consequently, these graduates find it difficult to cope with the labour market as result of lack of maturity and experience”.
” Nonetheless, the Federal Government should also proffer on its agencies to adjust its employment age to thirty five years so as to be in line with the development in the education system”.
“Imagine when for instance banks place their recruitment age at twenty five, with regards to those with their NYSC certificates. Also to be recalled is few years ago when the NNPC placed their recruitment age at twenty seven and the persons must have obtained their NYSC certificate. So, the pressure becomes high the more, which leads to various move taking by students to get their degrees in time”.
“Imagine also Federal Government through its agencies place recruitment age at twenty seven. This makes other private institutions to place their recruitment age at twenty four, twenty five years. Thus, the challenges it posses on the students to meet up with the demands”. He said.
@ De Erudite Media