Gifted children under the age of 18 may be permitted to take the West African School Certificate Examinations (WASCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations, according to a recent announcement made by the Federal Government.

During a tour of the Federal Government Academy in Suleja on Thursday, Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, made this information public.

"We may not have a definitive answer yet, but we are in the process of establishing criteria to define what we consider Gifted children," he stated while responding to inquiries regarding the government's initiatives for gifted children in light of the new education policy, which imposes age restrictions for candidates taking the WASCE and NECO examinations.

Following a visit to the National School for the Gifted, alongside Minister of State for Education, Dr. Tanko Sununu, Prof. Mamman announced a two-week extension for the resumption date of students at the Federal Government Academy, Suleja.

He clarified that this decision was made due to ongoing renovations at the school, emphasizing that students should not return to an environment that is not conducive to learning.

Consequently, instead of returning with other Federal government colleges on Sunday, September 8th, students are now expected to resume on the 18th, unless unforeseen circumstances arise.

He said: “We cannot have this young children here when there is work ongoing. The plumbing facility, showers, water and everything are a bit unstructured because of the ongoing work so the facility needs to be ready.

“We have granted 10 days which is the embodiment of two weeks. They will make up somehow.”

In light of the current state of the institution, the minister pledges the government’s unwavering commitment to providing the requisite support to facilitate the necessary upgrades and elevate the institution to its rightful status.

“This is the only school of its kind in the country where we are supposed to assemble students who demonstrate special attitude and capacity to come here for special training.

“For us we need to showcase the school and for us to do that, we need to see that the necessary supportive infrastructure is there, that the academic environment is suitable for that purpose.

“Maintenance has been a problem. What we have seen doesn’t answer our expectations of the type of school that it should be. They have achieved some mileage but that is not the destination we are looking at.

“The principal has done her bit within the limited resources available to her and it’s probably one of the few places where students are supposed to be here free and not pay anything, unlike some other places where they pay small charges here and there.

“We are going to come in with a very massive support to elevate and bring the place to the standard that it’s supposed to be.

“What we have seen is a general decay across schools in the country. It is worst in many places at the lower tier of government but we have to act our act to make sure that schools are environment where students want to be, where they can learn and socialise and not a place they want to come and go back home quickly.”

The minister expressed satisfaction with the newly organized skills acquisition center, highlighting it as a pivotal shift in Nigeria's educational approach, spanning from foundational education to senior secondary schools. This initiative aims to equip Nigerians with practical skills that enhance their lives.

"By integrating skill development from the foundational level through to senior secondary education, we ensure that graduates possess valuable skills and trades, enabling them to navigate their futures confidently. This center will empower individuals to chart their career paths based on the skills they acquire here."