The Federal Government has announced plans to phase out the long-standing policy separating Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) from Senior Secondary Schools (SSS), citing data showing that more than 20 million pupils fail to progress to the senior secondary level. The proposal is part of broader reforms aimed at improving access to education and reducing Nigeria’s school dropout crisis.
The Federal Government has unveiled plans to abolish the policy separating Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) from Senior Secondary Schools (SSS), following findings that over 20 million pupils drop out before reaching senior secondary education. Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, announced the proposal in Abuja during the inauguration of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Ministerial Implementation and Monitoring Committee.
According to Alausa, the current “disarticulation policy,” which requires JSS and SSS to operate as separate administrative units with different principals and facilities, has failed to achieve its objectives.
He revealed that Nigeria has about 80,000 public primary schools but only 15,000 junior secondary schools, creating a severe imbalance that has contributed to overcrowded JSS facilities and left many senior secondary schools underutilised.
The minister said more than 20 million pupils fail to transition from primary school through the secondary education system, describing the situation as unacceptable.
The separation of JSS and SSS was introduced under Nigeria’s 6-3-3-4 education system to improve educational administration. However, the Federal Government now believes the arrangement has instead created unnecessary administrative bottlenecks and contributed to poor student retention.
Alausa explained that the proposal will be presented before the National Council on Education (NCE), Nigeria’s highest education policy-making body, for consideration and approval.
The Minister stated that the reform is designed to improve access to education, increase school completion rates and ensure that educational policies prioritise the interests of learners over administrative structures.
He also inaugurated a ministerial committee chaired by Prof. Rashid Aderinoye to oversee UBEC-funded Smart Schools, Bilingual Schools and Alternative Schools, ensuring they are completed and put into use.
If approved by the National Council on Education, the reform will mark one of the most significant changes to Nigeria’s secondary education structure in decades. The Federal Government says the move is part of wider efforts to tackle the country’s growing learning crisis and improve educational outcomes for millions of Nigerian children.