FG to End JSS-SSS Separation Policy Amid Dropout Crisis

The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced a plan to end the separation policy between Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) and Senior Secondary Schools (SSS) following alarming data indicating that over 20 million pupils have dropped out before reaching senior secondary education. Minister of Education, Dr.

Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja during the inauguration of the UBEC Ministerial Implementation Monitoring Committee. He stated that the current policy has worsened access to education and contributed to significant imbalances in the education system across the country.

The minister highlighted that there are 80,000 public primary schools and 15,000 junior secondary schools, with overcrowding at the junior secondary level and underutilization at the senior secondary level, particularly in Kaduna and other northern regions. Dr.

Alausa proposed the scrapping of the policy to create a more effective educational transition and will present this proposal at the next National Council on Education meeting for final consideration. The current administration is committed to addressing the failures in the education sector.