Tinubu transmits bill to reform Nigeria's secondary education system to National Assembly

President Bola Tinubu has transmitted a bill to Nigeria's National Assembly, seeking to reform the country's secondary education system. The proposed legislation aims to establish a legal framework for reorganizing the structure of secondary education, with a specific focus on strengthening the administration and governance of public senior secondary schools.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the bill's transmission during a plenary session, reading a letter from the president. However, the letter did not detail the bill's specific provisions or the policy changes it entails. This reform initiative comes amidst ongoing public discussion regarding the federal government's potential plan to eliminate the distinction between Junior Secondary School (JSS) and Senior Secondary School (SSS).

Earlier in the week, the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, had indicated this proposal, suggesting the current separation contributes to a significant loss of students between primary and secondary levels. While the president's communication to the Senate did not explicitly state whether the bill seeks to scrap this distinction, it emphasized strengthening educational institutions in the national interest. The bill was approved by the Federal Executive Council on April 30, 2026, and finalized by the Federal Ministry of Justice.

The Senate Committee on Rules and Business has been tasked with further legislative processing and is expected to report back within a week. Nigeria currently follows the 6-3-3-4 education system, which includes six years of primary, three of JSS, three of SSS, and four of tertiary education. The system was designed to equip students with academic and vocational skills, but stakeholders have long expressed concerns about the transition between educational stages.

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The desire of this administration to strengthen the educational institutions in the national interest, the National Secondary Education Commission Amendment Bill 2026 is forwarded for legislative action by the National Assembly.