FG sets minimum age of 12 for JSS1 admission after six years of primary school

The Federal Ministry of Education has introduced a new national policy mandating that children seeking admission into Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS1) must be at least 12 years old, having completed six years of primary education. This directive, which forms part of a revised education policy for Non-State Schools, is aimed at standardising entry ages across the country.

The policy document outlines the structure for basic education in Nigeria as comprising six years of primary education and three years of Junior Secondary School, collectively making up nine years of basic education.

The new policy states:

“Basic education shall be of nine years’ duration. There shall be a six-year primary and a three-year Junior Secondary School (JSS). Children shall be admitted into Primary One when they attain the age of six years.

Every child must complete six years of primary education. They shall be admitted into Junior Secondary School (JSS1) when they have completed six (6) years of primary education, at around the age of twelve (12) years.”

The document also outlines the age requirements for early childhood education: “Nursery education shall be of three years’ duration.

Children shall be admitted into Nursery One when they attain the age of three years, Nursery Two on attaining the age of four, and one year of compulsory pre-primary education (Kindergarten) on attaining the age of five years, in accordance with the specification of Section 2(17) of the NPE, 2013 Edition.”

If this policy is implemented strictly, children in Nigeria would generally complete secondary school at about 18 years of age before becoming eligible for tertiary education—an issue that has sparked recent debate around minimum entry age for universities in the country.

The policy is particularly focused on Non-State Schools, also known as independent or private schools, which are not managed by the government but are playing a growing role in the nation’s education system. However, the ministry notes disparities in the quality of education across these institutions.

According to data from the Nigeria Education Digest 2022, Non-State Schools now outnumber state schools in at least 26 states at the junior secondary level. Between 2017 and 2022, the number of non-state primary schools increased by 31.56%, compared to 3.3% growth in state schools. Similarly, non-state Junior Secondary Schools grew by 35.06% during the same period, while state schools increased by only 6.8%.

The policy aims to create a more consistent and developmentally appropriate education system, particularly as Non-State Schools continue to expand rapidly across Nigeria.