The Federal Government has introduced a new guideline mandating 12 years as the minimum age for admission into Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS1), following the completion of six years of primary education.
The directive is outlined in a newly released policy document on Non-State Schools, launched last week by the Federal Ministry of Education. The policy aims to standardize operations and improve quality across private, independent, and non-government schools in Nigeria, which are largely funded through tuition, donations, and support from communities, religious bodies, and private organizations.
The document emphasizes the growing role of non-state schools in the Nigerian education system, while also acknowledging variations in standards and quality. It includes a framework for age-based progression in early childhood education, specifying that nursery education shall last three years—beginning at age three—and followed by one year of compulsory pre-primary education (Kindergarten) at age five, in line with Section 2(17) of the 2013 edition of the National Policy on Education.
