The Federal Ministry of Education has released a new policy framework for non-state schools, pegging the official age for admission into Junior Secondary School (JSS1) at 12, following six years of primary education.
The policy, launched last week, outlines clear age benchmarks for each stage of early education, aiming to streamline the education journey for children enrolled in non-state schools, institutions not owned or managed by the government. These schools, also referred to as private or independent schools, are typically funded through tuition fees, donations, religious institutions, foundations, and other non-government sources.
According to the policy document, children will now be admitted into Nursery One at age three, Nursery Two at age four, and into a compulsory one-year pre-primary class (Kindergarten) at age five, in line with Section 2(17) of the National Policy on Education (2013 Edition). Primary education will commence at age six and last for six years, with students expected to begin JSS1 at age 12.
The policy further 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.”
If implemented strictly, the revised entry ages mean Nigerian learners would not be eligible to enter higher education institutions until they turn 18 — a move that reignites debates around minimum university entry age in the country.
This comes amid a policy back-and-forth on university admission age. Former Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, had raised the minimum age for university entry to 18, before his successor, Dr. Tunji Alausa, reversed the policy and reinstated 16 as the minimum age.
The new document also reflects the growing influence of non-state schools in Nigeria’s education landscape. Data from the Nigeria Education Digest 2022 indicates that non-state schools now outnumber government schools at the junior secondary level in at least 26 states. At the primary level, however, government schools still dominate in 19 states.
Between 2017 and 2022, non-state primary schools saw a growth rate of 31.56%, compared to just 3.3% for state primary schools. At the junior secondary level, non-state schools grew by 35.06%, while state-owned counterparts grew by only 6.8% in the same period.
The Federal Government, through this policy, appears to be standardizing age-based progression and reaffirming its regulatory stance as the non-state school sector continues to expand rapidly.
