Federal Government has announced the scrapping of all Junior Secondary School (JSS) and Senior Secondary Schools in the country and introduced compulsory 12 years of uninterrupted basic education after which a Nigerian child can aspire for higher education.
With this development, the government is seeking the abolition of the 6-3-3-4 education system and replacing it with 12-4.
This is even as it has sought the approval of the National Council on Education to officially adopt 16 years as the minimum entry age requirement into the country’s tertiary institutions.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, revealed this, yesterday, in Abuja during the 2025 extraordinary National Council on Education (NCE) meeting.
The Guardian reports that the NCE is the highest policymaking body in the education sector. The event was attended by commissioners for education in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), agencies and parastatals under the ministry as well as development partners.
According to the minister, by subsuming secondary education into basic education, students will benefit from uninterrupted learning up to the age of 16.
Alausa said the new policy was in line with global best practices.
The reform, he stressed, would also reduce dropout rates by eliminating financial and systemic barriers that currently prevent students from completing secondary education.
“Extending basic education to 12 years will ensure a standardised curriculum that is uniformly implemented across the nation. This will also facilitate early exposure to vocational and entrepreneurial skills, preparing students for both higher education and employment.
“Many developed nations have implemented similar systems where basic education spans 12 years, ensuring that students acquire foundational knowledge before specialising at tertiary levels. This reform also aligns Nigeria’s education system with international standards, fostering better educational outcomes and global competitiveness,” he said.
He said it would also lead to economic and social impact, adding: “Educated youths contribute significantly to national development. When students receive an extended period of compulsory education, they are better equipped to join the workforce with relevant skills. This reform will also reduce child labour and other social vices resulting from premature school dropouts.”
He highlighted the implementation strategies to successfully integrate secondary education into basic education to include: policy reforms, infrastructure expansion, teacher training and recruitment, funding and partnerships, and curriculum enhancement.
He said: “Incorporating technical, vocational, and digital literacy education to equip students with 21st-century skills from their early stage of education.”
“The future of Nigeria’s education system depends on bold and strategic decisions. There is a need for radical change in our educational system if it will remain a veritable tool for socio-economic growth and development.
Primary and secondary school management is the exclusive preserve of the sub-national governments, while the Federal Government provides technical and funding support. Everyone’s attention needs to be drawn to the fact that we do have a problem in the sector and we need to understand the nature of the problem and consider our capacity and ability to effect the necessary changes based on the magnitude of what needs to be done and then devise a structure that will ensure sustainability of improving our educational system.
“Subsuming secondary education into basic education to span 12 years is a necessary step towards creating a more inclusive, equitable, and globally competitive system. It is time for us to embrace this reform to secure the future of our children and ultimately, the prosperity of our nation.”
