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FG Anounces Major Overhaul in Education Sector, to Scrap JSS, SSS Structure
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The Federal government has announced a major overhaul of Nigeria’s education structure, moving to scrap the separation of Junior Secondary School (JSS) and Senior Secondary School (SSS), describing the policy as a failure that has contributed to the country’s growing out-of-school crisis.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, made the announcement on Tuesday in Abuja during the inauguration of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Ministerial Implementation and Monitoring Committee, saying the Tinubu administration was determined to reverse years of declining educational outcomes by creating a seamless transition from primary to secondary education.
Alausa said the existing arrangement, which separates junior and senior secondary schools under the country’s 6-3-3-4 education system, has left millions of children stranded after completing primary school.
According to him, Nigeria currently has about 80,000 public primary schools but only 15,000 junior secondary schools, creating a significant transition gap that has fuelled the country’s out-of-school population.
He disclosed that while about 24 million children enroll in primary schools across the country, only about four million complete senior secondary education.
“About 24 million children enrol in our primary schools, but only about four million of them complete senior secondary. We have over 20 million children dropping out between primary school and junior secondary school. Where are those students?” the minister asked.
He blamed the trend on the policy separating JSS from SSS, saying it has resulted in overcrowded junior secondary schools while many senior secondary schools remain underutilised.
“The previous governments may have failed in this regard, but this government will not fail. We are fixing this. We need to create more opportunities for children to move seamlessly through the education system.
“We have overflowing junior secondary schools and empty senior secondary schools. I can objectively report today that this disarticulation policy has failed. We will phase it out. We cannot continue creating administrative positions while damaging our education system. It is about doing what is best for every Nigerian child,” Alausa said.
He explained that the proposal to abolish the policy would be presented at the next meeting of the National Council on Education for formal consideration and approval.
The minister also inaugurated a high-powered implementation and monitoring committee chaired by education expert, Prof. Rashid Aderinoye, to accelerate the completion, handover, and operation of hundreds of Smart Schools, Bilingual Schools, and Alternative Schools funded by UBEC across the country.
Alausa lamented that despite substantial public investment, many of the schools had either been abandoned or completed without being handed over to state governments for academic activities.
He described the situation as a waste of public resources and a denial of learning opportunities to thousands of Nigerian children.
“The purpose of these schools is to educate children, not to remain locked up after completion,” he said, charging the committee to eliminate implementation bottlenecks and ensure the facilities begin serving their intended purpose.
Earlier, UBEC Executive Secretary, Aisha Garba, said the Federal Government had made notable progress in expanding access to quality basic education through the Smart Schools, Bilingual Schools, and Alternative Schools programmes.
She disclosed that 37 Smart Schools had been established nationwide, with 24 already operational, while the remaining schools were at different stages of completion, furnishing, and preparation for academic activities.
Garba added that under the UBEC-Islamic Development Bank Bilingual Education Programme, 30 schools had been established across nine states, with three boarding schools already commissioned and four others substantially completed awaiting inauguration.
She further stated that the Alternative Schools Programme was helping to expand access to education for vulnerable and out-of-school children through flexible and inclusive learning models.
According to her, the newly inaugurated committee will oversee project implementation, ensure the timely completion and handover of schools, resolve implementation challenges, and guarantee that government investments translate into fully functional learning centres.
Responding on behalf of the committee, Prof. Aderinoye pledged that members would carry out their assignment with diligence, transparency, and accountability, assuring that they would work to remove obstacles delaying project delivery and improve access to quality education across Nigeria.
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has thrown its weight behind Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde’s call for an independent United Nations (UN) investigation into the abduction of students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area.
The party said an impartial and transparent international investigation would help establish the facts surrounding the incident and boost public confidence in the ongoing efforts to unravel the circumstances of the abduction.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the NDC National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, said the party believed a UN-backed inquiry would uncover the truth, ensure accountability and deliver justice to the victims and their families.
According to the party, Governor Makinde’s request for a UN investigation was driven by the need for transparency rather than politics, stressing that all questions surrounding the incident should be addressed through a credible and independent process that Nigerians can trust.
The NDC also urged the Federal Government to support every lawful initiative aimed at uncovering the truth, strengthening public confidence in the country’s security institutions and preventing similar incidents in the future.
It maintained that the safety and security of Nigerian children should never become a subject of political disagreement or speculation, insisting that the lives of students deserve the highest level of accountability.
The party added that an independent investigation would not only clarify the circumstances surrounding the abduction but also reinforce confidence in Nigeria’s security and justice systems.
Governor Makinde had earlier called for a UN-led investigation into the school abduction, saying an independent inquiry would lend credibility to the findings and address public concerns over the incident.
The kidnapping of students and teachers in Oriire has sparked nationwide outrage and renewed calls for stronger security measures in schools and better protection for pupils, students and educational personnel.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed as false claims circulating in the media by a factional leader of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Nafiu Bala, that he had obtained the commission’s access code and uploaded the party’s candidates for the 2027 general election.
The claim, which has been widely shared on social media, suggested that Bala’s faction had successfully completed the upload of candidates on INEC’s nomination portal.
However, when contacted by Daily Trust, INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs Victoria Eta-Messi, described the claim as untrue, insisting that Bala is not recognised by the commission as the national chairman of the ADC.
“It is not true,” she said.
A further check by Daily Trust on INEC’s official political parties portal also contradicted Bala’s claim.
The commission’s portal lists Sen. David Mark as the National Chairman of the ADC and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as the National Secretary, indicating that they remain the party officials recognised by INEC for the purpose of nominations and other statutory dealings.
The development comes amid the protracted leadership crisis within the ADC, with rival factions laying claim to the party’s national leadership ahead of the 2027 general election.
The controversy has intensified following reports by Bala’s faction that it had secured INEC’s access code and uploaded candidates, a claim now firmly denied by the electoral commission.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has assured its members and supporters nationwide that the recent Court of Appeal judgment on the party’s congresses will not affect its primary elections or the candidates who emerged from the processes.
In a statement issued on Monday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said the judgment only relates to the election of its ward, local government and state executive committees and has no impact on the direct primaries conducted by the party.
“The African Democratic Congress (ADC) notes the judgment delivered by the Court of Appeal in Abuja on Monday in a matter relating to party congresses for the election of ward, local government and state executive committees of the party,” the statement read.
The party stressed that the ruling does not invalidate the emergence of its candidates at any level.
“We wish to assure members of the party and the general public that this judgment has no effect whatsoever on the direct primaries through which the party’s candidates have emerged at all levels,” it said.
The ADC also disclosed that it had begun the process of challenging the judgment at a higher court, insisting that it disagrees with the decision.
“The party has already commenced the process of appealing the judgment, which we respectfully disagree with and consider to be legally unsustainable,” the statement added.
The party further said it took note of the dissenting judgment delivered by the presiding justice, describing it as more consistent with its position and the law.
“We also note the dissenting judgment of the presiding Justice, which, in our view, more accurately reflects the settled position of the law and the party’s position,” it stated.
The ADC appealed to its members and supporters across the country to remain calm and focused despite the court ruling.
“We urge all party members and the millions of our supporters to remain calm, confident and focused,” the statement said.
The party said it would continue to pursue its goal of offering Nigerians a credible alternative through constitutional and lawful means.
“The African Democratic Congress remains committed to the task of providing Nigerians with a credible alternative and will continue to pursue that mission in accordance with the Constitution and the rule of law,” the statement added.
