The Federal Ministry of Education, last week, introduced a new policy on Non-State Schools, which sets the minimum age for admission into Junior Secondary School at 12, following the completion of six years of primary education.
Non-State Schools—also known as independent, private, or non-government schools—are educational institutions that operate outside government control.
These schools are generally funded through tuition fees, along with donations from individuals, businesses, community groups, religious organisations, and foundations.
The policy notes that non-state schools are playing an increasingly significant role in delivering education across the country, despite noticeable disparities in the quality of education offered across different types of institutions.
Speaking on the age of enrolment, the Federal Ministry of Education said, “Nursery education shall be of three years’ duration.
“Children shall be admitted into Nursery One when they attain the age of three years, Nursery Two on attaining the age of four, and one year of compulsory pre-primary education (Kindergarten) on attaining the age of five years, in accordance with the specification of Section 2(17) of the NPE, 2013 Edition.”
Regarding the age of enrolment for junior secondary schools, the policy clearly outlines that basic education will span nine years—comprising six years of primary education and three years of Junior Secondary School (JSS). Children are to be enrolled in Primary One upon reaching the age of six.
“Every child must complete six years of primary education. They shall be admitted into Junior Secondary School (JSS1) when they have completed six (6) years of primary education, at around the age of twelve (12) years.”
If strictly implemented, the new policy suggests that Nigerian students would reach the appropriate age of 18 before becoming eligible for admission into higher institutions.
Debates have recently emerged over the required age for entry into tertiary education in Nigeria.
Former Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, had declared 18 as the minimum age for university admission, but the current minister, Dr. Tunji Alausa, later reversed the policy, reinstating 16 as the qualifying age.
The Nigeria Education Digest 2022, published by the ministry, indicated that “Non-state schools outnumber state schools in at least 26 states of the federation at the Junior Secondary level, whereas at the primary level, state schools outnumber non-state schools in 19 states of the federation.
“The growth in the number of non-state schools between 2017 and 2022 (the last five years reported) has been faster than that of state schools.
“Non-state primary schools grew in number by 31.56 per cent between 2017 and 2022, while state schools grew in number by 3.3 per cent within the same period.
“At the Junior Secondary level, non-state schools grew in number by 35.06 per cent between 2017 and 2022, while state schools grew in number by 6.8 per cent only within the same period.”
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