FG to Scrap JSS–SSS Separation Policy as Millions of Students Drop Out Before Senior Secondary School

By Emmanuel Kwada

The Federal Government has announced plans to abolish the policy separating the administration of Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) and Senior Secondary Schools (SSS), citing its contribution to rising student dropout rates and disruptions in the transition to higher levels of education.

Minister of Education, Olatunji Alausa, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja, describing the policy as an ineffective reform that has failed to achieve its intended objectives.

According to the minister, the separation of management structures for junior and senior secondary schools has created unnecessary administrative hurdles, making it more difficult for students to progress seamlessly from JSS to SSS.

Alausa expressed concern that millions of students who complete junior secondary education are unable to continue into senior secondary school, a trend he described as alarming and detrimental to the nation’s educational development.

“The current arrangement has not delivered the expected outcomes. Instead, it has introduced challenges that are affecting students’ progression and contributing to school dropout rates,” the minister said.

As part of efforts to reverse the trend, Alausa directed officials of the Federal Ministry of Education to prepare a position paper for presentation to the National Council on Education (NCE), seeking a review and eventual discontinuation of the policy.

Education stakeholders have long argued that barriers between junior and senior secondary education contribute to student attrition, particularly among children from low-income families who struggle to navigate additional admission and administrative requirements.

Beyond the proposed policy review, the minister also inaugurated a committee tasked with ensuring the full operationalisation of Smart Schools, Bilingual Schools and Alternative Schools established across the country.

He said the committee would work to accelerate project implementation, eliminate bureaucratic delays and ensure that government-funded educational facilities are completed, adequately equipped, properly staffed and opened for learning.

Alausa stressed that no publicly funded school should remain abandoned or underutilised.

“Every completed school that remains unused represents a lost opportunity for Nigerian children and a waste of public resources,” he said.

The minister revealed that the Federal Government is targeting the full operation of all Smart Schools and Bilingual Schools before the end of the year as part of broader efforts to improve access to quality education and learning outcomes nationwide.

Education experts say the proposed scrapping of the JSS–SSS separation policy could mark one of the most significant reforms in Nigeria’s secondary education system in recent years, potentially easing students’ transition between school levels and reducing dropout rates.

If approved by the National Council on Education, the policy change is expected to affect secondary school administration across the country and form part of wider efforts to strengthen educational access and retention among Nigerian children.