FG has given a fresh update on scrapping the JSS and SSS Basic Education System in Nigeria.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the federal government has dismissed reports claiming that it has scrapped the Junior Secondary School (JSS) and Senior Secondary School (SSS) education system, clarifying that discussions on a potential reform are ongoing.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, refuted the claims in an interview with THISDAY, stating that while a shift towards a 12-year uninterrupted basic education model is being considered, no final decision has been made.
Alausa’s clarification follows a media report suggesting that the federal government had abolished the current 6-3-3-4 education system in favour of a 12-4 model.
The report alleged that the minister announced at the 2025 extraordinary National Council on Education (NCE) meeting in Abuja.
While acknowledging that several developed nations have adopted similar systems, Alausa stressed that Nigeria is still in the deliberation phase.
“We haven’t even got to the implementation phase. The National Council of Education, the highest decision-making body on education policies, must first approve any change,” he explained.According to the minister, the proposed system would extend Nigeria’s compulsory basic education from nine to 12 years.He noted that past educational structures produced students with stronger foundational knowledge, which is why the government is reviewing the current system.“That means we’re just training people that have no clue, that need training. We have nine years now, but we’re proposing to increase it to 12 years of compulsory education,” Alausa stated.He further argued that a 12-year model would align Nigeria with global education standards, ensuring better preparation for tertiary studies.“A continuous curriculum promotes better standardisation, quality assurance, and improved educational outcomes,” he said.Additionally, Alausa highlighted concerns about talented students being delayed from entering universities due to age restrictions.“Bright students completing secondary school at 16 are forced to wait until they turn 18. This delays their development and could worsen mental health issues,” he warned.Despite the ongoing deliberations, Alausa assured that no changes would take effect before the last quarter of 2025.
