Education Minister says policy has failed, blames system for rising secondary school dropout rate.
The Federal Government has announced plans to abolish the policy that separates the administration of Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) and Senior Secondary Schools (SSS), describing the arrangement as ineffective and partly responsible for the growing number of students who fail to complete secondary education.
Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, disclosed the proposed reform on Tuesday after inaugurating the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Ministerial Implementation and Monitoring Committee for Smart Schools, Bilingual Schools and Alternative Schools in Abuja.
According to the minister, the proposal will be presented to the National Council on Education (NCE) for consideration and approval as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s education system.
Alausa said the current administrative structure has created unnecessary bottlenecks, weakened the transition from junior to senior secondary school and contributed to the increasing number of out-of-school adolescents across the country.
He explained that the proposed reform is aimed at creating a more seamless and efficient secondary education system that improves student retention and enhances learning outcomes.
The minister added that the Federal Government remains committed to implementing reforms that will improve access to quality education and address longstanding challenges affecting the nation’s education sector.