FG Denies Setting 12-Year Minimum Age For JSS Admission
The Federal Ministry of Education has dismissed reports claiming that it set 12 years as the new minimum age for admission into Junior Secondary School (JSS).
Earlier reports alleged that the ministry, through a policy document, directed that only pupils aged 12 and above would be admitted into JSS 1, particularly in private schools, and that nursery school admission would begin from age three.
In a statement, Folasade Boriowo, spokesperson for the ministry, described the reports as “entirely inaccurate,” adding that they did not originate from any official source or reflect government policy.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the minimum age for admission into JSS1 remains 10 years,” Boriowo said.
She further stressed that no child should complete primary education before the age of 10, urging the public and education stakeholders to disregard contrary claims and verify information from official sources.
This comes after last year’s controversy over the proposed 18-year minimum age for tertiary education admission introduced by former Education Minister Tahir Mamman, which was later reviewed.
In November, current Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, announced that the government would maintain 16 years as the admission age for tertiary institutions, with exemptions for exceptionally gifted students, explaining that an 18-year cap would undermine efforts to reduce out-of-school children.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
