Education Minister denies scrapping JSS, SSS, clarifies proposal on 12-year basic education

Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has dismissed reports claiming that the federal government has scrapped the Junior Secondary School (JSS) and Senior Secondary School (SSS) system, replacing it with a new 12-year uninterrupted basic education model.

Alausa clarified that the reports were misleading, explaining that he only submitted a proposal advocating for 12 years of compulsory education while maintaining the existing 6-3-3-4 structure.

The minister made this proposal during the 2025 Extraordinary National Council of Education meeting in Abuja, emphasizing the need to transition to a 12-4 education system to enhance learning outcomes.

But addressing the media on Friday, the minister debunked the reports, saying he merely “presented a proposal for discussion—not an immediate policy change. “

According to him, “The proposal seeks to migrate to 12 years of compulsory education while retaining the current 6-3-3 structure.”

He said: “The attention of the Federal Ministry of Education has been drawn to misleading reports suggesting that the Federal Government has scrapped Junior Secondary School (JSS) and Senior Secondary School (SSS) and replaced them with a new 12-year uninterrupted basic education model. We wish to categorically state that this is not true.

“At the Extraordinary National Council on Education (NCE) Meeting held on February 6, 2025, in Abuja, I presented a proposal for discussion—not an immediate policy change. The proposal seeks to migrate to 12 years of compulsory education while retaining the current 6-3-3 structure.

“A key aspect of this proposal is to eliminate the examination barrier between JSS and SSS, allowing for a seamless transition of students without the hurdles of an external assessment at that stage. However, this is still a subject of consultation and deliberation.

“To ensure a well-informed decision, the Ministry will undertake extensive stakeholder engagements over the next eight months, consulting widely with education policymakers, state governments, teachers, parents, and other key players. The final decision on whether to adopt this reform will be made at the October 2025 National Council on Education Meeting.”

He urged the public to disregard the false claim that JSS and SSS have been scrapped.

“The Federal Government remains committed to policies that enhance access to quality education while aligning with global best practices,” he said.