FG Plans to Merge JSS, SSS to Tackle 20 Million Out-of-School Children Crisis

Nigeria's federal government is planning a major overhaul of its education system, aiming to merge junior and senior secondary schools. This move is intended to tackle the alarming crisis of over 20 million children failing to transition from primary to senior secondary education.

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Where do the children go after primary school? We have 80,000 primary schools but only 15,000 junior secondary schools. Where are those students?

Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, announced the plan, stating that the current separation of JSS and SSS has proven "disarticulation policy has failed." He highlighted a significant gap in the system, with approximately 80,000 public primary schools but only 15,000 junior secondary schools. This disparity leads to overcrowded JSS facilities while many SSS remain underutilized.

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We have overflowing junior secondary schools and empty senior secondary schools. I can objectively report today that this disarticulation policy has failed. We will phase it out.

"We cannot continue creating administrative positions while damaging our education system. It is about doing what is best for every Nigerian child," Alausa said. He expressed confidence that the current administration would succeed where previous ones had faltered in addressing the dropout rate. The proposal to abolish the separate JSS and SSS structures will be submitted to the National Council on Education for consideration.

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It is about doing what is best for every Nigerian child.

In parallel, the government has inaugurated the Tertiary Institutions National Laureate Committee. Education stakeholders view this as a significant effort to prioritize scholarship, innovation, and research within the nation's academic landscape.

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The previous governments may have failed in this regard, but this government will not fail. We are fixing this. We need to create more opportunities for children to move seamlessly through the education system.