FG sets new 12-year minimum age for JSS1 admission

 Torchlight news.


FG Sets New 12-Year Minimum Age for JSS1 Admission

        Minister of Education, Rauf Alausa

The Federal Government has established a new minimum age requirement of 12 years for students seeking admission into Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS1) after completing six years of primary education. This directive is outlined in a newly launched policy document on Non-State Schools by the Federal Ministry of Education.

Non-State Schools—also known as private, independent, or non-governmental schools—are educational institutions not operated by the government. They are typically funded through tuition fees and supplemented by donations from individuals, corporate bodies, religious groups, communities, and charitable foundations.

According to the policy document, non-state schools are playing an increasingly prominent role in education delivery across Nigeria, although the quality of instruction varies widely among them.

Clarifying the structured age of enrolment, the Ministry stated:

  • Nursery education will last three years:
    • Children will enter Nursery One at age 3,
    • Nursery Two at age 4, and
    • A compulsory Pre-Primary (Kindergarten) year at age 5,
      in line with Section 2(17) of the 2013 edition of the National Policy on Education (NPE).
  • Primary education will commence at age 6 and span six years.
  • JSS1 admission will follow upon completion of primary school, with the entry age set at 12 years.

This policy framework implies that students would typically reach the age of 18 before becoming eligible for tertiary education—a subject of recent national debate.

Former Education Minister, Prof. Tahir Mamman, had proposed 18 years as the minimum university entry age, a policy later revised by his successor, Dr. Tunji Alausa, who reset the benchmark to 16 years.

The Nigeria Education Digest 2022, released by the Ministry, highlighted significant growth in non-state schools. It noted that:

  • In 26 states, non-state junior secondary schools now outnumber their government counterparts.
  • However, state primary schools still outnumber private ones in 19 states.
  • Between 2017 and 2022:
    • Non-state primary schools increased by 31.56%, compared to 3.3% growth in state-run primary schools.
    • Non-state JSS schools grew by 35.06%, while government JSS schools rose by just 6.8%.

The policy aims to harmonize age-appropriate learning across all school types and reduce the trend of premature progression through the education system.

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