The Federal Ministry of Education has enacted a revised educational policy mandating that pupils must be at least 12 years old before gaining admission into Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS1). This policy underscores the structure of Nigeria’s basic education system—comprising six years of primary education followed by three years of junior secondary education. The newly set age threshold is intended to align with a more structured and developmentally appropriate academic progression for children nationwide, particularly within the domain of non-state educational institutions.
The policy document, which draws from the 2013 edition of the National Policy on Education (NPE), specifies a three-tier pre-primary education phase: three years of nursery school, culminating in a compulsory year of kindergarten at age five. Primary education is to commence at age six, thereby ensuring that by the completion of primary school, students will be approximately twelve years old—the newly instituted age for transition to junior secondary education. This initiative seeks to standardize educational timelines and minimize irregularities in admission ages often seen in private schools.
A significant focus of the document is on non-state schools—private educational institutions—which are expanding rapidly and play a vital role in Nigeria’s academic ecosystem. These schools, despite their uneven quality, now outnumber public institutions in junior secondary education across at least 26 states. Their swift proliferation, driven by private investment and urban demand, has raised critical policy concerns regarding quality assurance and age-appropriate enrollment standards.
Between 2017 and 2022, the number of non-state primary schools surged by over 31%, while their junior secondary counterparts grew by more than 35%. In stark contrast, state schools recorded only modest growth—3.3% in primary and 6.8% in junior secondary levels—highlighting the accelerated privatization of basic education in many parts of the country. This demographic shift underscores the urgency of enforcing uniform regulations such as the new age policy to maintain educational parity and quality nationwide.
Should this policy be rigorously enforced, students would complete their nine years of basic education—six in primary and three in junior secondary—before reaching eligibility for senior secondary school and eventually higher education, possibly around the age of 18. This development has added a new layer to ongoing debates over the appropriate age for university admission and may necessitate further reforms in Nigeria’s tertiary education policies to ensure a harmonized academic journey from nursery to university.
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