The Federal Government has announced plans to phase out the long-standing policy separating Junior Secondary School (JSS) from Senior Secondary School (SSS), citing alarming data showing that more than 20 million Nigerian children fail to progress through the country's education system.
The proposed reform is expected to become one of the most significant changes to Nigeria's secondary education structure in decades.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed the proposal during the inauguration of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Ministerial Implementation and Monitoring Committee in Abuja.
He explained that the current arrangement has not achieved its original objective and has instead contributed to declining school retention and increased dropout rates nationwide.
According to the minister, Nigeria currently has more than 80,000 public primary schools but only about 15,000 junior secondary schools, creating a significant imbalance in the education system.
He noted that this shortage has left many pupils without adequate opportunities to continue their education after completing primary school.
Alausa revealed that approximately 24 million pupils are enrolled in public primary schools, yet only about four million eventually complete senior secondary education.
The figures indicate that more than 20 million learners leave the system before reaching the final stage of secondary education, raising serious concerns about access to quality education across the country.
The minister argued that the administrative separation between junior and senior secondary schools has created unnecessary barriers that discourage smooth progression for students.
He stated that overcrowded junior secondary schools exist alongside underutilised senior secondary schools, demonstrating that the current structure is no longer serving its intended purpose.
Introduced in 1982 under Nigeria's National Policy on Education, the JSS–SSS structure was designed to strengthen secondary education by creating distinct stages of learning.
However, the Federal Government now believes the policy requires major reform to improve retention and ensure more children complete their education.
Alausa stressed that the proposal is driven by the need to prioritise learners rather than preserve administrative structures.
He stated that education policies should be evaluated based on their impact on children and learning outcomes rather than institutional convenience.
The minister confirmed that the proposal will be presented before the National Council on Education, Nigeria's highest education policy-making body, where commissioners of education and other stakeholders will deliberate before any final decision is taken.
If approved, implementation guidelines will subsequently be developed.
Beyond the proposed structural reform, the Federal Government also expressed concern over Nigeria's worsening learning crisis.
Alausa disclosed that about three out of every four Nigerian children at the basic education level are unable to read and understand age-appropriate texts by the age of 10, a situation commonly described as learning poverty.
To address these challenges, the government plans to expand digital learning across the country through platforms such as the Nigeria Learning Passport, Inspire, Ignite, EduRevamp, E-Learn, Greenfield Learning Management System, and virtual classroom solutions.
State governments have been encouraged to maximise these resources to improve teaching and learning outcomes.
Education stakeholders say improving school retention is critical to reducing Nigeria's out-of-school population and building a more skilled workforce.
They believe that eliminating structural bottlenecks, strengthening digital education, and expanding access to secondary schools could significantly improve completion rates over the coming years.
If approved by the National Council on Education, the proposed reform would reshape the transition from primary to secondary education for millions of Nigerian children.
Government officials maintain that the objective is to ensure more learners remain in school, improve educational outcomes, and create a stronger foundation for national development through accessible and inclusive education.