The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced a new age guideline for school enrolment, setting 12 years as the minimum age for admissio...
The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced a new age guideline for school enrolment, setting 12 years as the minimum age for admission into Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS1), following the successful completion of six years of primary education.
The directive is contained in a newly launched policy document on Non-State Schools, released last week by the Federal Ministry of Education.
According to the document:
“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 JSS1 when they have completed six years of primary education, at around the age of 12 years.”
Nursery and Pre-Primary Structure
The policy also outlines the structure of early childhood education in Nigeria. It states that nursery education shall last for three years, with specific age brackets for each level.
The Ministry explained:
“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.”
These provisions are in line with Section 2(17) of the National Policy on Education (NPE), 2013 Edition.
Aligning Age With University Entry
With this adjustment, students are now expected to complete secondary education at about 18 years, which aligns with the minimum age for university admission proposed by former Education Minister Prof. Tahir Mamman. However, his successor, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has revised the minimum university entry age to 16 years.
Private Schools Outpacing Public Institutions
The policy also addresses the growing role of non-state schools—commonly referred to as private, independent, or mission schools—which are not operated by government authorities and are typically funded through tuition fees, religious bodies, communities, and donations.
Referencing data from the Nigeria Education Digest 2022, the document notes a significant rise in the number of non-state schools, particularly at the junior secondary level.
“Non-state schools outnumber state schools in at least 26 states of the federation at the Junior Secondary level, whereas at the primary level, state schools outnumber non-state schools in 19 states of the federation.”
It also recorded a sharp contrast in growth rates between 2017 and 2022:
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Non-state primary schools increased by 31.56%, while state primary schools grew by just 3.3%
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Non-state junior secondary schools grew by 35.06%, compared to 6.8% growth in state-owned counterparts
Policy Implications
Education analysts say the new policy could reshape admission timelines, reduce the number of underage students in secondary schools, and standardize early education in both public and private sectors.
An education policy expert, Dr. Grace Amadi, told NewsGrid:
“This is a welcome development. It addresses the age-grade mismatch that has long existed in Nigerian schools and will improve learning outcomes, especially when implemented strictly.”
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