The Federal Government has announced plans to phase out the policy separating Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) from Senior Secondary Schools (SSS), describing the system as ineffective and a major contributor to the country’s growing number of out-of-school children.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed the proposed reform on Tuesday in Abuja during the inauguration of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Ministerial Implementation and Monitoring Committee.
Alausa said the current structure has hindered students’ progression from primary to secondary education, revealing that more than 20 million pupils who completed primary school have been unable to enrol in junior secondary school due to inadequate infrastructure and the existing policy.
According to the minister, Nigeria currently has about 80,000 public primary schools but only around 15,000 junior secondary schools, creating a significant shortage of spaces for pupils moving into the next stage of their education.
He acknowledged that previous governments had not adequately addressed the problem but said the current administration was committed to expanding access to education and reversing the trend.
The minister also criticised the administrative separation of junior and senior secondary schools, saying it has resulted in overcrowded junior secondary schools while many senior secondary schools remain underutilised.
He cited examples from Kaduna and other northern states, where separate principals oversee JSS and SSS despite sharing the same premises, arguing that the arrangement has created unnecessary administrative structures without improving learning outcomes.
Alausa said the Federal Government would discontinue the policy, stressing that the education system should prioritise students’ access to quality education over administrative expansion.
He added that the proposal to reintegrate junior and senior secondary schools would be presented at the next meeting of the National Council on Education for deliberation and possible approval.
