The Federal Government has officially scrapped the separation between Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) and Senior Secondary Schools (SSS), replacing the existing 6-3-3-4 education system with a compulsory 12-year uninterrupted basic education model.
Minister of Education Dr Tunji Alausa announced the policy shift on Thursday in Abuja during the 2025 extraordinary meeting of the National Council on Education (NCE), the highest policy-making body in Nigeria’s education sector. The new 12-4 model will subsume secondary education into basic education, allowing students to benefit from uninterrupted learning up to the age of 16.
Alausa said the reform, which aligns with global best practices, is designed to reduce dropout rates by eliminating financial and systemic barriers that currently prevent students from completing secondary education. The policy will require NCE approval to officially adopt 16 years as the minimum entry age for tertiary institutions.
“Extending basic education to 12 years will ensure a standardised curriculum that is uniformly implemented across the nation. This will also facilitate early exposure to vocational and entrepreneurial skills, preparing students for both higher education and employment,” the minister stated.
He noted that many developed nations have implemented similar systems where basic education spans 12 years, ensuring students acquire foundational knowledge before specialising at tertiary levels.
The reform is part of a broader effort to address Nigeria’s education crisis. According to ministry data, over 23 million pupils are enrolled in public primary schools, yet only slightly above three million transition to junior secondary schools. The government has questioned where the approximately 20 million pupils not enrolled in public secondary schools have gone.
Alausa stressed that private schools cannot absorb the gap, identifying lack of access as the primary issue. He revealed that discussions have been held with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum to encourage state governments to build more schools.
Implementation strategies for the 12-year basic education model include policy reforms, infrastructure expansion, teacher training and recruitment, funding and partnerships, and curriculum enhancement. The minister emphasised the need to incorporate technical, vocational, and digital literacy education to equip students with 21st-century skills from an early stage.
The announcement follows the minister’s February 2025 proposal at the NCE meeting, where he described the need for “radical change” in the educational system if it is to remain a tool for socio-economic growth and development. At that time, Alausa noted the proposal was for discussion and would require extensive stakeholder consultation before a final decision at the October 2025 NCE meeting.
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