The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, has announced his intention to scrap all Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) and Senior Secondary Schools in the country and the introduction of a compulsory 12-year uninterrupted basic education.
The Minister proposed this while speaking at the 2025 National Council on Education (NCE) meeting in Abuja on Thursday, February 6. The meeting hosted the commissioners for education from the 36 states and the FCT, MDAs
Tunji Alausa said phasing out the 6-3-3-4 model and introducing a 12-4 will reform education in Nigeria to align with ‘’global standards.’’
The minister said a 12-year basic education system will “reduce dropout rates by removing financial and systemic barriers”. He added that the move would ‘’standardise the curriculum and offer early vocational training to prepare students for higher education and employment.’’
“Extending basic education to 12 years will ensure a standardised curriculum that is uniformly implemented across the nation. This will also facilitate early exposure to vocational and entrepreneurial skills, preparing students for both higher education and employment.
“Many developed nations have implemented similar systems where basic education spans 12 years, ensuring that students acquire foundational knowledge before specialising at tertiary levels. This reform also aligns Nigeria’s education system with international standards, fostering better educational outcomes and global competitiveness,” he said.
