The Federal Government has announced plans to phase out the policy separating Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) from Senior Secondary Schools (SSS), following concerns that the arrangement has contributed to the growing number of students dropping out before completing secondary education.
Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, disclosed the proposed policy change on Tuesday in Abuja during the inauguration of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Ministerial Implementation and Monitoring Committee.
According to the minister, government findings revealed that more than 20 million pupils fail to progress from primary education to the junior secondary level, raising concerns about access and continuity in the country’s education system.
Alausa explained that the existing separation policy, popularly known as the disarticulation model, introduced separate administration and facilities for junior and senior secondary schools but has not delivered the expected results.
He noted that Nigeria currently has about 80,000 public primary schools compared to roughly 15,000 junior secondary schools, creating a major gap in transition opportunities for learners.
The minister said the imbalance has resulted in overcrowded junior secondary schools while some senior secondary facilities remain underutilised, particularly in parts of northern Nigeria.
“This policy has not achieved its purpose and we must prioritise what works for Nigerian children,” he said, adding that the proposal to formally abolish the system would be presented at the next meeting of the National Council on Education.
Alausa stated that the planned reform is aimed at improving school transition rates, expanding access to education and strengthening learning outcomes across the country.
He also expressed confidence that the current administration would take concrete steps to address long-standing challenges within the education sector.
At the same event, the minister inaugurated a committee chaired by Prof. Rashid Aderinoye to supervise the implementation and monitoring of UBEC-funded Smart Schools, Bilingual Schools and Alternative Schools across the country.
The committee is expected to ensure that completed projects are delivered to states and become fully operational for learning activities.
Although UBEC has invested in hundreds of education projects nationwide, the minister noted that many facilities remain incomplete or have not enrolled students, describing the situation as an inefficient use of public resources.
Nigeria continues to face one of the world’s largest out-of-school children challenges, with millions of school-age children especially in rural and conflict-affected communities still lacking access to formal education.
Education stakeholders have repeatedly stressed that solving the crisis will require not only building schools but ensuring they are functional, properly staffed and accessible to learners.