Education Ministry Clarifies Claim Of Nigeria Planning To Abolish JSS And SSS

The Federal Ministry of Education has refuted claims that Nigeria is scrapping the Junior and Senior Secondary School system.

In a statement on Friday, the ministry clarified that the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, only proposed a shift to a 12-year basic education model.

The ministry stressed that no immediate policy change had been made and that the proposal was still under review, noting that reports suggesting that the new system had already been implemented were misleading.

According to Folasade Boriowo, the ministry’s Director of Press, the National Council on Education will thoroughly assess the idea before any decision is finalized.

The statement reads: “The attention of the Federal Ministry of Education has been drawn to misleading reports suggesting that the Federal Government has scrapped Junior Secondary School (JSS) and Senior Secondary School (SSS) and replaced them with a new 12-year uninterrupted basic education model. We wish to categorically state that this is not true.

“At the Extraordinary National Council on Education Meeting held on 6 February 2025 in Abuja, the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Olatunji Alausa, presented a proposal for discussion — not an immediate policy change. The proposal seeks to transition to 12 years of compulsory education while retaining the current 6-3-3 structure.

“A key aspect of this proposal is to eliminate the examination barrier between JSS and SSS, allowing students to progress seamlessly without external assessments at that stage. However, this remains subject to further consultation and deliberation.

“To ensure a well-informed decision, the ministry will undertake extensive stakeholder engagements over the next eight months, consulting education policymakers, state governments, teachers, parents, and other key players. The final decision on whether to adopt this reform will be made at the National Council on Education meeting in October 2025.

“The ministry urges the public to disregard false claims that JSS and SSS have been scrapped. The Federal Government remains committed to policies that enhance access to quality education while aligning with global best practices.”

KanyiDaily recalls that the Federal Government reintroduced history as a stand-alone subject in the basic education curriculum in Nigeria 13 years after its abolition.