In a significant move to streamline entry into junior secondary education, the Federal Ministry of Education has introduced a new policy mandating that children must be at least 12 years old to gain admission into Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS1) after completing six years of primary education.
This directive is part of a newly released policy document targeted at non-state schools , a category that includes private, independent, and faith-based schools not operated by the government. These institutions rely on tuition fees, donations from individuals, businesses, religious bodies, and other private sources for funding.
According to the Ministry, non-state schools now play an increasingly vital role in Nigeria’s education system, even though the quality of instruction varies widely across these institutions.
The new policy outlines a clear educational path from nursery to secondary school. It emphasizes that:
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Nursery education should last three years, starting at age three.
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Children are expected to progress to Nursery Two at age four, and then spend one year in Kindergarten at age five aligning with Section 2(17) of the 2013 National Policy on Education (NPE).
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Primary education begins at age six and lasts for six years, followed by three years of Junior Secondary School, bringing the ideal age for JSS1 entry to 12 years.
