The federal government yesterday said that reports that it had scrapped the Junior Secondary School (JSS) and Senior Secondary School (SSS) education system were untrue, but admitted that it was considering rejigging the education to align with current realities.
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Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, told newsmen last night that although the federal government was thinking in that direction, there are long and tedious processes involved, including the involvement of the National Council on Education (NCE).
A report by a national newspaper yesterday [not TheNigerialawyer] had said the federal government had announced the scrapping of all JSS and SSS levels in the country and introduced a compulsory 12-year uninterrupted basic education model.
He said that this effectively marked the abolition of the 6-3-3-4 education system and its replacement with the 12-4 model, quoting Alausa as having spoken at the 2025 extraordinary NCE meeting in Abuja.
“Many developed nations have implemented similar systems where basic education spans 12 years, ensuring that students acquire foundational knowledge before specialising at tertiary levels. This reform also aligns Nigeria’s education system with international standards, fostering better educational outcomes and global competitiveness,” Alausa reportedly said.
But Alausa noted that while it is true that a change in the system was being considered, discussions were still ongoing and implementation may not begin until the last quarter of 2025.
“We haven’t even got to the implementation phase. We went to the Council of State meeting, that this is what we need to do. The National Council of Education needs to meet, which is the highest body (level).
“So we are saying let’s think about this in October. We will meet again, we’re going to do a lot of stakeholders’ meetings, and say do we want to adopt a 12-year mandatory education, as opposed to nine years that we have now. In other countries, it’s 12 years,” the minister argued.
According to him, looking back to 30 years ago, young people who did year three are better than those doing three extra years now, reason the system should be overhauled. “That means we’re just training people that have no clue, that need training… We have nine years now, but we’re proposing to increase it to 12 years of compulsory education,” he stated.
By transitioning from 9-3-4 to the 12-4 system of education, Nigeria will align with global standards in preparing students for better tertiary education, the minister had argued earlier.
“A 12-year basic education model will ensure a continuous, uninterrupted curriculum, promoting better standardisation and fostering quality assurance in the education system.
“It will also guarantee that students receive a more comprehensive and continuous learning experience, improve educational outcomes, and contribute to a more educated populace that drives Nigeria’s economic development,” he maintained.
He also highlighted the challenge in Nigeria, where talented, bright students are being disenfranchised from pursuing tertiary education due to their age.
“In any society, it is crucial to standardise the education of highly functional and exceptionally gifted students. We are now preventing these students, after finishing secondary education at the age of 16, from attending university until they are 18. This delays their development and harms their futures.
“These students are capable and brave. If we leave them idle, we risk exacerbating mental health issues,” he warned during the event he attended earlier.
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