The Federal Ministry of Education has unveiled a new policy guiding Non-State (private) schools, stipulating that pupils must be at least 12 years old to gain admission into Junior Secondary School (JSS 1) after completing the mandatory six years of primary education.
The announcement, made last week during the launch of the policy document, marks a significant shift in Nigeria’s basic education structure and aims to align school entry and transition ages with international best practices.
The policy specifically targets Non-State Schools, institutions not operated by the government and typically funded through tuition, donations from individuals, faith-based organisations, and philanthropic foundations.
According to the ministry, while non-state schools play an increasing role in Nigeria’s education delivery, the quality of education across these schools remains inconsistent. The new framework seeks to address this disparity by standardising critical aspects such as enrolment age.
The document outlines a structured early childhood education plan:
Nursery One: Age 3
Nursery Two: Age 4
Kindergarten (Pre-primary): Age 5
This aligns with Section 2(17) of the National Policy on Education (NPE), 2013 Edition, which mandates three years of early childhood education before primary school entry.
