Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa.
New education policy aims to streamline age-appropriate learning across Nigeria’s private schools, setting clear entry timelines from nursery to junior secondary.
In a major policy shift, the Federal Government has announced that children must now be at least 12 years old to gain admission into Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS1), following six years of primary education. This is part of a newly launched policy document on Non-State Schools — encompassing private, independent, and faith-based educational institutions — unveiled by the Federal Ministry of Education last week.
The policy, designed to standardize age-appropriate learning across the country’s education system, mandates a structured learning progression starting from age three in nursery school to age twelve in junior secondary school. According to the document, nursery education will last three years, beginning with Nursery One at age three, Nursery Two at age four, and a compulsory Kindergarten year at age five. Primary education will begin at age six, lasting six years.
“Children shall be admitted into JSS1 when they have completed six years of primary education, at around the age of 12,” the policy states, aligning with Section 2(17) of the National Policy on Education (NPE), 2013 Edition.
If implemented strictly, the policy means most Nigerian learners will be around 18 years old by the time they become eligible for university admission — reigniting debate over the minimum age for tertiary education. While former Education Minister, Prof Tahir Mamman, had previously set the entry age for university at 18, current Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa later revised it back to 16 years.
The document also sheds light on the growing influence of private schools in Nigeria's education sector. Statistics from the Nigeria Education Digest 2022 reveal that non-state schools have outpaced state schools in growth between 2017 and 2022. At the junior secondary level, private schools grew by 35.06%, while state schools grew by just 6.8%. At the primary level, non-state schools increased by 31.56%, compared to a 3.3% growth in state schools.
Furthermore, non-state schools now outnumber government schools in at least 26 states at the junior secondary level, while state schools retain the majority at the primary level in 19 states.
This policy is expected to curb underage enrollment, promote better learning outcomes, and ensure age-appropriate development for Nigerian students, especially in the rapidly expanding private education sector.
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