FG Bans Children Below 12 From Starting Junior Secondary












FG Bans Children Below 12 From Starting Junior Secondary

 By Editor 

The Federal Government has officially established 12 years as the minimum age for admission into Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS1). This directive is part of a newly introduced policy framework on non-state (private) schools, launched last week by the Federal Ministry of Education.


According to a report by Punch, the policy—outlined in a recently released document—aims to standardize entry ages across nursery, primary, and secondary levels in Nigeria’s education system.




The policy targets non-state schools—commonly known as private or independent schools—which are not run by the government and rely on tuition, donations, religious bodies, or private foundations for funding.


Despite their fast growth and contribution to education delivery, the Ministry noted wide variations in curriculum implementation and entry age, prompting the need for uniform standards aligned with the National Policy on Education (NPE).

The document affirms that private institutions now play a major role in national education, but calls for their practices to comply with federal regulations.

Detailing the new age structure, the ministry clarified:


“Nursery education shall last three years. Children should enter Nursery One at age 3, Nursery Two at 4, and a compulsory one-year pre-primary (Kindergarten) at age 5, in line with Section 2(17) of the NPE, 2013 Edition.”


The basic education structure remains at nine years, made up of six years of primary education followed by three years of junior secondary education.

“Children shall be admitted into Primary One at age six and must complete the full six years. Entry into Junior Secondary School (JSS1) will follow, ideally around age 12,” the document added.

With this structure, students are expected to complete secondary education at 18, setting a clear national benchmark for eligibility into higher institutions across Nigeria.

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