FG announces minimum age for JSS1 admission
Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa
REPUBLICAN NIGERIA gathered that the Federal Government has officially introduced a new policy setting 12 years as the minimum age for admission into Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS1). This directive, issued by the Federal Ministry of Education, is part of a broader policy document recently released to regulate Non-State Schools across the country.
According to the new guideline, students must complete six years of primary education before they can transition into JSS1. This move is intended to promote age-appropriate learning, proper child development, and uniform academic progression across all basic education levels in Nigeria.
The revised education structure now requires children to begin nursery education at age three. This includes Nursery One and Two at ages three and four respectively, followed by a compulsory one-year pre-primary class (Kindergarten) at age five. This framework is based on Section 2(17) of the 2013 National Policy on Education.
By age six, children are expected to start Primary One and spend six years in primary school. This means that students will reach JSS1 at age 12 and complete secondary education around 18, ensuring they are adequately prepared for higher learning and other life responsibilities.
While the previous Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, proposed 18 as the minimum university entry age, the current Minister, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has adjusted that standard to 16 years. This change reflects a recalibration of academic timelines under the new policy framework.
The policy also highlights the growing presence and impact of non-state schools, which include private, faith-based, and community-run institutions not managed by the government. These schools now play a major role in delivering basic education across the country, despite concerns about uneven standards.
Findings from the Nigeria Education Digest 2022 show that non-state schools have surpassed public schools in numbers at the junior secondary level in at least 26 states. However, public schools still retain a higher presence at the primary level in 19 states, underscoring a shifting educational landscape.
Between 2017 and 2022, the number of non-state primary schools grew by 31.56%, while public primary schools saw only a 3.3% increase. At the junior secondary level, non-state institutions grew by 35.06% compared to a 6.8% rise in state-run schools. The Ministry says the new age rule and broader policy goals aim to standardize quality across all institutions as private education continues to expand rapidly.
