The King’s College Old Boys Association (KCOBA) has called for gifted children under 18 to be exempted from the Federal Government’s recent ban on candidates younger than 18 from sitting for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and National Examination Council (NECO) exams.
The KCOBA’s position was presented during the association’s 115th Founders Day anniversary celebration in Lagos. Speaking at the event, Dr. Leke Oshunniyi, KCOBA President, expressed concern over parents accelerating their children’s education, often leading to challenges due to their young age.
“Parents tend to push their children through school at a faster pace, which can sometimes have negative consequences. These children might find themselves too young for their class. In our time, students spent seven years in secondary school, and by the time we completed the upper sixth form, we were 18. Nowadays, children progress much faster,” Dr. Oshunniyi remarked.
He highlighted that while the government’s decision may have been well-intentioned, it might not take into account the unique needs of exceptionally gifted children who are capable of completing their education ahead of their peers.
“Some of these gifted children are capable of graduating as early as 15. There’s a Nigerian family in the UK whose children graduated before many of their peers had even begun university. These children should be given an exception in cases where they are truly capable of handling an accelerated academic path. Otherwise, the entire policy needs a thorough review,” he added.
Founded in 1919, KCOBA continues to advocate for King’s College and its alumni, while also working to maintain the school’s facilities. Dr. Oshunniyi recalled that in the 1970s, when he was a student at King’s College, Lagos, the school housed fewer than 500 students, compared to the current population of over 1,000.
“The pressure on the school’s infrastructure is immense. However, our association, through the efforts of various alumni class sets, continues to maintain and renovate the school’s buildings. Recently, the class set from 1974 renovated some classrooms in the new wing of the school. This kind of support is ongoing,” he noted.
KCOBA Social Secretary, Mr. Wole Eperokun, who represented the Chairman of the 2024 Kingsweek planning committee, Arc. Tonye Cole, also shared his perspective on the government’s education policy. He emphasized the importance of the 6-3-3-4 education system, which proposes six years of primary education, three years of junior secondary, three years of senior secondary, and four years of tertiary education.
“I strongly believe in the 6-3-3-4 system. It provides a structured path for students. Children should start secondary school at age 11, which means by 16, 17, or 18, they are ready to graduate. Maturity is essential when transitioning into higher education. While I support the idea of an 18-year age guideline, it should not be mandatory. Gifted children should not be held back—they should be allowed to progress according to their abilities,” Eperokun explained.
He added that if a child is ready for university at age 15, parents should not hold them back out of fear of immaturity. “Keeping them at home could lead to distractions. There must be a balance, allowing gifted children to progress at their own pace without compromising their readiness for the challenges of university life,” he concluded.
