Requirement of Age for Admission
It is not generally observed and enforced that children must attain a set age in order to be admitted into their respective classes. Parents generally wish for their children to be placed in the class of their choice, even when the children are not
emotionally ready.
From all indications, tertiary institutions are not likely to admit students unless they are 16 years of age by the 1st of October in the year of admission. The student with the best score 0f 347 out of 400 in the 2019 UTME: Franklin Ekele may not be admitted on the account of being just 15 years of age.
It is an obvious fact that most of the under-16 brilliant students are not emotionally mature enough to withstand the multi-tasking that tertiary education
demands. Another reason is that they are still impressionable and may fall easy prey to the antics of the adults in the university environment. Also, it is obvious these days that girls appear to be smarter than boys during their early years. Girls seem to make better grades at the primary and secondary levels. However, at the university level when boys seem to have matured, they generally do much better, as the girls encounter numerous emotional and psychological changes.
Our schools shall observe the age and class placement requirements given in the table below. We shall emphasize maturity that goes with age, instead of raw
ability. A child will learn whatever is taught. However, how mature the child is will determine how well he retains and uses the knowledge taught.
| Age | Nigeria | British | America |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kindergarten 1 | ||
| 2 | Kindergarten 2 | ||
| 3 | Nursery 1 | Reception 1 | |
| 4 | Nursery 2 | Reception 2 | Preschool |
| 5 | Primary 1 | Year 1 (KS 1) | Kindergarten |
| 6 | Primary 2 | Year 2 (KS 1) | Grade 1 |
| 7 | Primary 3 | Year 3 (KS 2) | Grade 2 |
| 8 | Primary 4 | Year 4 (KS 2) | Grade 3 |
| 9 | Primary 5 | Year 5 (KS 2) | Grade 4 |
| 10 | Primary 6 | Year 6 (KS 2) | Grade 5 |
| 11 | JSC 1 | Year 7 (KS 3) | Grade 6 |
| 12 | JSC 2 | Year 8 (KS 3) | Grade 7 |
| 13 | JSC 3 | Year 9 (KS 3) | Grade 8 |
| 14 | SSC 1 | Year 10 (KS 4) | Grade 9 |
| 15 | SSC 2 | Year 11 (KS 4) | Grade 10 |
| 16 | SSC 3 | Lower 6 | Grade 11 |
| 17 | University 100 | Upper 6 | Grade 12 |