A Nigerian Lawyer, Douglas Ogbankwa, Esq. has asked Nigerian Government Officials to bring their Children forward for the Pilot Project of the 18 Years Policy for Students to Write the Universal Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), organised by the Joint Administration and Matriculation Examination (JAMB).
In a Statement in Abuja recently, Douglas Ogbankwa Esq., said: “Nigerian Politicians should not foist a Policy on us that will affect only our Children adversely. For this obnoxious policy to work, Nigerian Politicians must withdraw their children from their Schools abroad and bring them to Nigeria to commence this obnoxious policy. We are hardworking Nigerians and our children are the ones that build the Nigerian Educational System.
“Nigerian Politicians can not leave their children abroad and impose an obnoxious policy on us. The Nigerian Populace should not be inundated with such a very untenable policy that has no bearing on the development of a child.
“The Minister of Education, who was my Director General at the Nigerian Law School, should please change this Policy as same does not resonate with the Nigerian People it is made for. If this policy scaled through, there shall be no beneficiaries, but victims. Nigerian Children are already crying (Including my children), and this Policy will lead to capital flight and mass exodus of Nigerians abroad to seek for an educational system that fits their purpose. Policies are made for people and not people for policies.
“It appears some Nigerian Government Officials operate in isolation of the people they serve. If a child can be married at 12 years according to our Law, which is paedophilia, then what stops the same child from attending a University. Global comparative analysis shows that this obnoxious Policy exists only in Nigeria. The Nigerian Government Officials should actually start this Policy with their children, so that we can ascertain the propriety or other wise of this Obnoxious Policy.” He said.
The Benin-based legal practioner maintains, “Let us provide an enabling environment for our children to thrive. This Policy will stunt our children and the interregnum to be created by this Policy, will lead to some of these children engaging in some vices, as the Government has not provided any vocational Programme to fill in the gap, from when the children will finish secondary school, which will be around 15/16/17 years, till when they will write UTME, which will be 18 Years.” Mr. Ogbankwa concluded.
