FG Sets 12-Year Minimum Age for JSS1 Admission

The Federal Government has announced that children must now be at least 12 years old to gain admission into Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS1). This new requirement is part of a broader policy initiative targeting non-state (private) schools across the country.

The directive was outlined in a recently launched policy document by the Federal Ministry of Education, which seeks to streamline academic progression from nursery through junior secondary levels.

According to the policy, children will now enter Primary One at the age of six, after completing three years of nursery and one year of pre-primary (kindergarten) education. JSS1 admission will follow the completion of six years of primary education, bringing the expected age to around twelve.

Education officials say the move is designed to ensure age-appropriate learning, reduce dropout rates, and improve educational outcomes across both public and private institutions.

Private schools referred to as non-state schools in the policy have seen significant growth in recent years. Data from the Nigeria Education Digest 2022 shows that these schools now outnumber public schools in junior secondary education across 26 states. The report also shows that between 2017 and 2022, private junior secondary schools increased by over 35%, compared to just 6.8% growth in state-run schools.

While the previous age requirement for university entry was set at 18 under former Education Minister Prof. Tahir Mamman, the current administration under Dr. Tunji Alausa has readjusted the threshold back to 16 years.