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 Lagos State Government has appealed for calm following persistent rainfall and flash floods across many parts of the State over the past two weeks, announcing the immediate dredging of 28 additional primary drainage channels to improve flood control.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu approved the emergency dredging intervention as part of efforts to strengthen the state’s drainage network.

The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said the recent downpours are an extreme weather event that produced an unusually large volume of rainfall within a short period, overwhelming drainage systems in some locations and causing temporary flooding in parts of Victoria Island, Lekki, Ikeja, Gbagada, Mushin, Mafoloku and other communities.

According to him, the situation was not peculiar to Lagos; several African countries and parts of North America also experienced heavy rainfall and flooding during the same period.

Wahab, however, said Lagos presents a more complex hydrological challenge because of its extensive network of lagoons, rivers, creeks and tidal water bodies, coupled with its high rainfall intensity.

He explained that the interaction between the Atlantic Ocean, Lagos Lagoon and inland waterways, especially during high tide, naturally slows the discharge of storm-water into the sea, leading to temporary flooding in low-lying areas during exceptionally heavy rainfall.

The commissioner assured residents that the government was closely monitoring drainage infrastructure, flood-prone areas and major channels across the State.

He added that emergency response agencies have been deployed to affected areas to facilitate the quick recession of floodwaters and provide necessary support to residents.

Wahab said the government would continue to invest in drainage construction, channelisation, desilting, and other flood-control infrastructure, but stressed that residents also have a responsibility to support these efforts.

He urged residents to stop dumping refuse into drains, canals and waterways, warning that blocked drainage channels and illegal reclamation of wetlands contribute significantly to flooding.

He also cautioned against building on drainage alignments and engaging in activities that could obstruct the free flow of storm-water.

The commissioner said the increasing frequency of extreme rainfall events across coastal cities is a clear indication of the impact of climate change.

“Lagos is not exempt from these realities. However, the State Government remains steadfast in its commitment to building a flood-resilient city through sustained infrastructure development, environmental enforcement and active collaboration with residents,” he said.

Wahab described flood management as a shared responsibility, urging residents to keep drainage channels free of debris and to report any activities that could obstruct storm-water flow.

He also advised motorists to avoid driving through flooded roads during heavy rainfall and urged residents, particularly those in flood-prone communities, to comply with weather advisories and safety instructions issued by relevant government agencies.

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting lives and property through proactive flood management measures and called for continued public cooperation in building a cleaner, safer and more resilient Lagos.

Air Peace has completed its second humanitarian evacuation mission from South Africa, airlifting 271 stranded Nigerians back to Lagos as part of the Federal government’s emergency response to rising anti-immigrant tensions and fears of xenophobic violence in the Southern African country.

The evacuation flight, operated with the airline’s flagship Boeing 777-200 wide-body aircraft, departed Johannesburg and landed safely at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, at 10:35am on Tuesday.

The aircraft later docked at the airport’s Cargo and Hajj Terminal, where the returnees underwent immigration and other arrival formalities before being received by officials of the Federal Government.

The latest operation was coordinated by the Federal government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs following growing concerns over the safety of Nigerians living in South Africa amid anti-immigrant protests and calls by campaign groups for undocumented foreign nationals to leave the country.

With the latest evacuation, Air Peace has transported a total of 533 Nigerians to safety under the ongoing South Africa evacuation programme, having earlier evacuated 262 citizens during its first humanitarian mission on June 11.

The airline said the achievement underscores its operational readiness and unwavering commitment to supporting national emergency response efforts whenever called upon.

Speaking on the successful operation, the airline’s spokesperson, Mr. Efe Osifo-Whiskey, commended the Federal Government for its swift intervention in protecting Nigerians abroad and praised the leadership of Air Peace Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Allen Onyema, for sustaining the airline’s humanitarian mission.

“Today’s successful evacuation once again reflects the power of public-private collaboration in safeguarding Nigerian lives. We commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for prioritising the welfare of Nigerians abroad and appreciate our Chairman, Dr. Allen Onyema, whose enduring patriotism and humanitarian convictions continue to position Air Peace as a dependable national asset in times of need,” Osifo-Whiskey said.

He described the successful completion of the second evacuation mission as another milestone in the airline’s growing record of humanitarian interventions across Africa and beyond.

According to him, Air Peace has carried out more than 16 humanitarian and emergency evacuation missions since it commenced operations, deploying its aircraft and personnel to assist governments and organisations in responding to conflicts, natural disasters, and other humanitarian emergencies.

He noted that the airline has consistently deployed its fleet to evacuate vulnerable populations from crisis-hit regions, reinforcing its reputation as Nigeria’s foremost humanitarian airline.

Osifo-Whiskey attributed the carrier’s humanitarian philosophy to the vision of its founder and chairman, Dr. Onyema, whose commitment to national service and African solidarity, he said, has continued to shape the airline’s operations beyond commercial aviation.

The latest evacuation comes amid heightened anti-immigrant demonstrations across South Africa, where thousands of protesters marched in major cities, including Johannesburg and Durban, demanding the removal of undocumented foreign nationals.

Although South African authorities deployed thousands of police officers, tactical units, and helicopters to maintain order and prevent violence, concerns over possible xenophobic attacks prompted several African governments, including Nigeria, to organise voluntary evacuation programmes for their citizens.

The Federal Government has also disclosed plans to seek compensation for Nigerians who were forced to abandon businesses, vehicles, and other valuable assets while fleeing the renewed anti-immigrant tensions.

Acting Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa, Ambassador Alexander Ajayi, said Nigerian authorities have begun documenting properties and investments left behind by returnees as part of efforts to pursue compensation claims with the South African government.

Air Peace reaffirmed its commitment to supporting government initiatives aimed at protecting Nigerian citizens, pledging to continue deploying its world-class fleet whenever required in the service of humanity, national development, and emergency response.