The Federal Government has announced plans to scrap the policy separating the administration of Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) and Senior Secondary Schools (SSS), declaring the reform ineffective and blaming it for worsening school dropout rates across the country.
Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja, saying the policy, which introduced separate management structures for JSS and SSS, had failed to deliver its intended goals. Instead, he said, it created unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles that have made the transition from junior to senior secondary school more difficult for millions of students.
According to the minister, a significant number of students who complete JSS are unable to proceed to SSS, describing the trend as unacceptable and detrimental to the country’s education system.
To reverse the situation, Alausa directed officials of the Federal Ministry of Education to prepare a position paper for submission to the National Council on Education (NCE), paving the way for a formal review and eventual abolition of the policy.
The minister also inaugurated a committee tasked with fast-tracking the operationalisation of Smart Schools, Bilingual Schools and Alternative Schools nationwide.
He said the committee would remove implementation bottlenecks, ensure government-funded schools are completed, fully equipped, adequately staffed and opened to students without delay.
Alausa stressed that no publicly funded educational facility should remain abandoned or underutilised, warning that every completed school left idle represents lost opportunities for Nigerian children.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to making all Smart Schools and Bilingual Schools fully operational before the end of the year while driving measurable improvements in learning outcomes nationwide.
