Reports emerged over the weekend, claiming that the Nigerian government has abolished the 6-3-3-4 education system which had been in place since 1983.
The reports were spread by some news platforms, (not in Pan-Atlantic Kompass) following a proposal muted by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, calling for certain reforms in the education sector.
Alausa, who spoke during the 2025 extraordinary National Council on Education meeting in Abuja, revealed that the significant reform included a proposal to scrap the Junior Secondary School (JSS) and Senior Secondary School (SSS) structures.
Following the misconception in the media space, the Ministry of Education, in a statement issued by the Director of Press at the Federal Ministry of Education, Folasade Boriowo, stated that reports suggesting the immediate scrapping of Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) and Senior Secondary Schools (SSS) are untrue.
Boriowo clarified that the Minister of Education only proposed a transition to a 12-year basic education system during an Extraordinary National Council on Education meeting on February 6, 2025.
According to the statement, the proposal requires further review by the National Council on Education before any final decision is made.
The statement reads in part: “At the Extraordinary National Council on Education Meeting held on 6 February 2025 in Abuja, the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Olatunji Alausa, presented a proposal for discussion — not an immediate policy change. The proposal seeks to transition to 12 years of compulsory education while retaining the current 6-3-3-4 education system.
“A key aspect of this proposal is to eliminate the examination barrier between JSS and SSS, allowing students to progress seamlessly without external assessments at that stage. However, this remains subject to further consultation and deliberation.
“To ensure a well-informed decision, the ministry will undertake extensive stakeholder engagements over the next eight months, consulting education policymakers, state governments, teachers, parents, and other key players. The final decision on whether to adopt this reform will be made at the National Council on Education meeting in October 2025.
“The ministry urges the public to disregard false claims that JSS and SSS have been scrapped. The Federal Government remains committed to policies that enhance access to quality education while aligning with global best practices.”
Verdict: The Federal Government was yet to announce any significant change in the education sector.
The announcement by the Minister of Education was only a proposal.
Meanwhile, below is an overview of the proposal seeking to change the 6-3-3-4 system of education;
Objective: The aim is to transition to a compulsory 12-year uninterrupted basic education model. This would replace the existing 6-3-3-4 system (6 years of primary, 3 years of junior secondary, 3 years of senior secondary, and 4 years of tertiary education) with a 12-4 model.
Key Elements of the Proposal:
Structure Change: The new system would abolish JSS and SSS, integrating secondary education into a single, continuous basic education phase that lasts 12 years, after which students could move to higher education.
Age Requirement: The proposal includes setting the minimum entry age for tertiary institutions at 16 years.
Curriculum and Standardization: By extending basic education to 12 years, the government aims to implement a standardized curriculum uniformly across the nation, incorporating technical, vocational, and digital literacy education from an early stage.
Rationale Behind the Change:
Global Best Practices: The reform is said to align with global educational standards where basic education spans 12 years, ensuring students acquire foundational knowledge before specializing at the tertiary level.
Dropout Reduction: The policy seeks to reduce dropout rates by eliminating financial and systemic barriers that prevent students from completing secondary education, thus also reducing child labour and other social issues.
Implementation Strategies:
Infrastructure Expansion: To support the new model, there would be a need for infrastructure development.
Teacher Training and Recruitment: Ensuring educators are prepared for the new educational approach.
Curriculum Enhancement: Updating and enhancing the curriculum to meet the demands of a 12-year basic education system.
