FG pegs 12 Years as minimum age for JSS1 admission

The Federal Ministry of Education has formally pegged 12 years as the minimum age for pupils seeking admission into Junior Secondary School One (JSS1) in non-state schools across Nigeria.

The policy, which aligns with the requirement of completing six years of primary education, was included in a new guideline document launched last week.

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The move is aimed at standardising the academic structure and enrolment process in private, faith-based, and independent schools, which play a crucial role in Nigeria’s education system despite being outside government control.

According to the new guideline, children should begin Nursery One at age three, move to Nursery Two at four, and complete a mandatory one-year kindergarten programme at age five.

Primary education then begins at age six and spans six years, making the expected age for transition into JSS1 approximately 12.

“Every child must complete six years of primary education,” the policy noted.

“They shall be admitted into Junior Secondary School (JSS1) when they have completed six years of primary education, at around the age of 12.”

If rigorously enforced, the policy could extend the average age for university admission to 18 years, a controversial issue that has stirred public debates in recent times.

In 2023, former Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, had recommended 18 as the minimum university admission age, citing concerns over students’ emotional and academic maturity.

His successor, Dr Tunji Alausa, later revised it to 16.

The document also highlights the growing dominance of non-state schools. Based on the Nigeria Education Digest 2022, non-state schools now outnumber government schools at the junior secondary level in at least 26 states.

While public schools still lead at the primary level in 19 states, private institutions have shown rapid growth.

Between 2017 and 2022, non-state primary schools expanded by 31.56%, far outpacing the 3.3% growth of their state-owned counterparts.

Similarly, non-state junior secondary schools rose by 35.06%, while public schools recorded only 6.8% growth.

The ministry stressed the need for uniform standards and stricter regulatory frameworks, citing the uneven quality of instruction and learning outcomes among non-state schools.