Minister Denies Reports Claiming FG Has Scrapped JSS and SSS

Dr. Tunji Alausa, the Minister of Education, has refuted reports that the federal government has scrapped the Junior Secondary School (JSS) and Senior Secondary School (SSS) systems in favor of a new 12-year uninterrupted basic education model.

Speaking at the 2025 Extraordinary National Council of Education in Abuja on February 6, Alausa proposed transitioning from the 6-3-3-4 system to a 12-4 model, emphasizing the need for educational reform.

However, some media outlets misinterpreted his proposal as an official policy change. Clarifying his stance, the minister stated in Abuja today that he merely presented the idea for discussion, not as an immediate implementation.

“The proposal seeks to migrate to 12 years of compulsory education while retaining the current 6-3-3 structure.”

The attention of the Federal Ministry of Education has been drawn to misleading reports suggesting that the Federal Government has scrapped Junior Secondary School (JSS) and Senior Secondary School (SSS) and replaced them with a new 12-year uninterrupted basic education model. We wish to categorically state that this is not true.

At the Extraordinary National Council on Education (NCE) Meeting held on February 6, 2025, in Abuja, I presented a proposal for discussion—not an immediate policy change. The proposal seeks to migrate to 12 years of compulsory education while retaining the current 6-3-3 structure.

A key aspect of this proposal is to eliminate the examination barrier between JSS and SSS, allowing for a seamless transition of students without the hurdles of an external assessment at that stage. However, this is still a subject of consultation and deliberation.

To ensure a well-informed decision, the Ministry will undertake extensive stakeholder engagements over the next eight months, consulting widely with education policymakers, state governments, teachers, parents, and other key players. The final decision on whether to adopt this reform will be made at the October 2025 National Council on Education Meeting.”

He urged the public to disregard the false claim that JSS and SSS have been scrapped, emphasizing that his proposal was only meant to spark discussions on potential educational reforms.

“The Federal Government remains committed to policies that enhance access to quality education while aligning with global best practices” he said