The Federal Government has announced plans to phase out the policy separating Junior Secondary School (JSS) from Senior Secondary School (SSS) as part of a major reform aimed at reducing Nigeria’s growing out-of-school children crisis.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, disclosed the development on Tuesday during the inauguration of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Ministerial Implementation and Monitoring Committee in Abuja.
According to the minister, government data shows that more than 20 million pupils who enrolled in primary school failed to progress to senior secondary education, exposing major weaknesses in the current education structure. He described the separation of JSS and SSS—known as the “disarticulation policy”—as ineffective, saying it has contributed to overcrowded junior secondary schools, underutilised senior secondary facilities and poor transition rates for learners.
Alausa explained that the Federal Government intends to present the proposal to the National Council on Education (NCE) for formal consideration before implementation. He stressed that the reform is designed to create a seamless pathway for students from basic education through senior secondary school, improve retention and expand access to quality education.
The minister also inaugurated a high-level implementation committee to fast-track the completion, handover and operation of UBEC-funded Smart Schools, Bilingual Schools and Alternative Schools across the country. He expressed concern that many completed projects remain unused despite significant public investment, insisting that the facilities must begin serving Nigerian children as intended.
The proposed reform is part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts to tackle learning poverty, reduce the number of out-of-school children and strengthen Nigeria’s basic education system through improved infrastructure, policy implementation and increased access to schooling.
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