The Federal Government has announced plans to phase out the policy separating Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) from Senior Secondary Schools (SSS) after data revealed that more than 20 million pupils dropped out before reaching senior secondary education, Peak Newspaper reports.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed the development in Abuja during the inauguration of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Ministerial Implementation and Monitoring Committee, stating that the current “disarticulation policy” has failed to achieve its intended objectives.
According to the minister, the system, which requires JSS and SSS to operate as separate institutions with different administrative structures, has contributed to challenges in the education sector, including overcrowded junior secondary schools and underutilised senior secondary schools in some states.
Alausa said Nigeria has about 80,000 public primary schools but only around 15,000 junior secondary schools, creating a major gap in the transition of students from primary education into secondary school.
The minister stated that the proposed reform would be presented to the National Council on Education for consideration, adding that the goal is to improve access, reduce dropout rates, and create a smoother education pathway for Nigerian children.
