Education ministry dismisses reports on scrapping JSS, SSS

Following reactions by Nigerians over the purported scrapping of JSS and SSS systems by the Federal Minister of Education, the Ministry has clarified that the Minister, Tunji Alausa, merely proposed the introduction of a 12-year basic education system and not an immediate policy change.

Several media outlets had suggested that a new policy aimed at scrapping the Junior and Senior Secondary School systems was already in effect, but the Director of Press in the Ministry, Folasade Boriowo, emphasized that the National Council on Education would review the proposal before any final decision is taken.

Boriowo recalled that at the Extraordinary National Council on Education Meeting held on 6 February 2025 in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, had presented a proposal for discussion; seeking to transition to 12 years of compulsory education, while retaining the current 6-3-3 structure.

A key aspect of the proposal she said, was to eliminate the examination barrier between JSS and SSS and allowing students to progress seamlessly without external assessments at that stage.

The ministry urged the public to disregard the false claims that JSS and SSS systems had been scrapped, as the Federal Government remained committed to policies that enhance access to quality education, while aligning with global best practices.

“To ensure a well-informed decision, the ministry will undertake extensive stakeholder engagements over the next eight months, consulting education policymakers, state governments, teachers, parents, and other key players. The final decision on whether to adopt this reform will be made at the National Council on Education meeting in October 2025.
“The ministry urges the public to disregard false claims that JSS and SSS have been scrapped. The Federal Government remains committed to policies that enhance access to quality education while aligning with global best practices.”