Education
FG sets 12-year new minimum age for JSS1 admission
A new policy document on Non-State Schools launched by the Federal Ministry of Education last week has pegged the entry age for pupils seeking admission into Junior Secondary Schools after completing six years of primary education at 12.
Non-State Schools, also referred to as independent or private schools or non-government schools, are educational institutions not managed by the government.
They are typically financed by tuition payments as well as donations from individuals, businesses, communities, faith-based organisations and foundations.
According to the policy document, non-state schools are increasingly playing a major role in education provision in the country, despite variations in the quality of education being offered across the categories of schools.
Speaking on the age of enrolment, the Federal Ministry of Education said, “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.”
On the age of enrolment for junior secondary schools, the policy clearly stated that, “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.”
If this new policy is followed to the letter, it implies that Nigerian learners would attain the rightful age of 18 before being qualified for entrance into higher institutions.
Recently, there have been controversies over the mandatory age of entry into tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
The former Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman, announced 18 years as the minimum entry requirement, before the new minister, Dr Tunji Alausa, reverted the policy to 16 years for entry into university.
The Nigeria Education Digest 2022, published by the ministry, indicated that “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.
“The growth in the number of non-state schools between 2017 and 2022 (the last five years reported) has been faster than that of state schools.
“Non-state primary schools grew in number by 31.56 per cent between 2017 and 2022, while state schools grew in number by 3.3 per cent within the same period.
“At the Junior Secondary level, non-state schools grew in number by 35.06 per cent between 2017 and 2022, while state schools grew in number by 6.8 per cent only within the same period.”
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The Governor of Kebbi State, Nasir Idris, has said only his state in Nigeria provides free education and scholarships to students studying within and outside the country.
Idris disclosed this during a courtesy visit by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Students’ Matters, Mr Sunday Dare, in Government House, Birnin Kebbi, on Thursday.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the SSA was accompanied by the National President, National Association of Nigerian Students, Mr Olusola Oladejo.
NAN also reports that the students were in Kebbi to inaugurate the newly elected executives of the Kebbi National Students’ Association.
The governor told the visitors that he had paid about N2.7bn to settle the tuition fees of both students studying within Nigeria and those studying in foreign countries.
He said, “It might interest you to note that it is only Kebbi that offers total free education in Nigeria.
“We pay tuition fees for all our students up to secondary and tertiary institutions.
“Recently, I paid N2.7 billion tuition fees for both students studying across tertiary institutions within and outside Nigeria.”
According to Idris, his administration offers total scholarships to the students, adding, “We are doing this to remove the stress and burden from the parents.
He added, “Some parents may have more than three children in tertiary institutions.
“If the money is too much, some parents might not be able to shoulder the school fees, especially in this period where many tertiary institutions have increased their tuition fees.
“That is why we deem it fit to shoulder the responsibility of free education, scholarships to all our students.”
Idris added that the feeding money for students across boarding schools in the state had been increased from N150m to N300 million monthly.
In line with his administration’s efforts to raise the standard of teaching and learning, the governor said the embargo on employment had been lifted, where about 5,000 qualified teachers were gainfully employed.
“To enhance the learning environment, my administration has rehabilitated 2,004 primary and secondary schools, while over 340 new ones were constructed,” he revealed.
Speaking on infrastructure, the governor lauded President Bola Tinubu for supporting the state to record tremendous achievements in roads construction.
He cited the construction of the 1,008-kilometre Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway as one of the legacy projects of Tinubu, expressing happiness that Kebbi would be the major benefiting state, with about 280 kilometres to be constructed.
While thanking the President for revoking the 87-kilometre Koko-Zuru road contract, the governor observed that the revocation had paved the way for Kebbi to execute the project for quick delivery, and it is expected to be repaid later.
Idris also commended Tinubu for his foresight in introducing the students’ loan scheme, which was not done before in the history of Nigeria, adding that his administration was replicating the president’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the state.
Earlier, the SSA to the president on students’ matters commended the state government for implementing free education and full scholarships for students in the state.
On his part, the NANS national president applauded the state governor for the construction of four mega schools, which spread across the four Emirates of the state.
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The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has backed the introduction of compulsory and random drug integrity tests for students in tertiary institutions across the country.
This decision followed a meeting in Abuja on Wednesday with the Chairman and Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Brig Gen Buba Marwa (retd), where both parties discussed measures to curb substance abuse among students.
In a statement on Wednesday by the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, the minister also approved a review of the current secondary school curriculum to incorporate updated drug education and committed to forming an inter-ministerial working group with the NDLEA.
Babafemi said the NDLEA boss had proposed a three-pronged approach: revising drug education content in schools, introducing stand-alone drug abuse prevention programmes in secondary schools, and implementing a drug testing policy for tertiary institutions, including for new students, returning students, and random testing.
Marwa described the drug scourge as a threat to national security and youth development, citing its links to criminal activities such as terrorism and banditry.
He disclosed that the agency had arrested over 40,000 drug offenders and seized more than 5,500 metric tonnes of drugs in the past two years.
“We are fighting for the souls of our children. Without drugs, many criminal activities would not be possible,” he said.
Responding, Alausa acknowledged the urgency of the problem, stating: “When the youths get into drugs, they won’t go to school, and even when they go to school, they are not getting a functional education.
“At the end of the day, what happens? Their level of critical thinking is lower.
“Their ability to make informed decisions in the later part of their life becomes significantly reduced. So, they become unemployable.
“And what happens? You now have that vicious cycle. They’re not functional.”
The minister stated that drug tests for fresh and returning students in tertiary institutions would be done.
He said, “You also said something very important about the drug test policy in tertiary institutions. We will do it.
“We have to do it. We do not have a choice. At least, we’ll start with tertiary institutions, for their fresh and returning students as well as random testing.”
He announced the creation of a Substance Use Prevention Unit within the ministry and confirmed that a revised curriculum for secondary schools was underway.
Alausa said, “I would suggest we form a technical working group, an inter-ministerial working group between our ministry and NDLEA.
“As a result, I would also like to create a Substance Use Prevention Unit in the ministry.
“We’re reviewing the curriculum now for secondary school. And that’s why I’ve asked the Director of Senior Secondary School to come, to be here and then we find a way to cascade it down to primary school.
“We need to incorporate both primary and secondary schools into their curriculum. But the one for secondary school, we can do that now. We’re currently developing their new curriculum.
“Also, on the stand-alone school programmes, I agree with you fully. We should also design ongoing programmes in our schools. That we can roll out, and cascade down.”
The minister also committed to working with the Universal Basic Education Commission and Tertiary Education Trust Fund to support the NDLEA Academy in Jos, Plateau State.
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The Academic Staff Union of Universities, University of Maiduguri chapter, has “vehemently rejected and strongly condemned” the Federal Government’s decision to rename the institution after the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, vowing to challenge the move in court.
In a statement issued on Friday and jointly signed by its Chairperson, Abubakar Mshelia, and Assistant Secretary, Peter Teri, ASUU-UNIMAID disclosed that the resolution followed an emergency congress held on July 24, 2025.
According to the union, the congress was attended by ASUU members, representatives of the Student Union Government, and other critical stakeholders.
It said after extensive deliberation, the congress unanimously demanded “the immediate and unconditional reversal” of the renaming decision.
The union said, “Following extensive discussions, the congress unanimously resolved to vehemently reject and strongly condemn the decision to rename the University of Maiduguri to Muhammadu Buhari University, Maiduguri.
“Congress views any attempt to rename the University of Maiduguri — after 50 years of esteemed existence — as a flagrant disregard for university autonomy, a disruption of cherished academic traditions, and a direct affront to the collective heritage and identity of the university community.”
The union said the decision was “ill-conceived, arbitrary, and devoid of meaningful consultation with the university community, alumni, relevant stakeholders, and the general public.”
It further described the move as a “troubling disregard for due process and stakeholder engagement in governance.”
The union announced that the ASUU-UNIMAID executive committee had been mandated to “explore all available legal avenues to challenge the renaming decision and ensure that the university’s original identity is preserved.”
It also urged ASUU branches, zones, and the national body to engage the National Assembly, civil society organisations, students, and other relevant actors to resist any legislative attempt to endorse the name change.
“The union demands that the autonomy and integrity of public universities must be upheld without political interference,” it added.
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