The Nigerian government has announced plans to remove the Junior Secondary School (JSS) and Senior Secondary School (SSS) system. In its place, a new 12-year uninterrupted basic education system will be introduced.
Under this new model, students will complete 12 years of basic education before moving to higher institutions. This means the current 6-3-3-4 education system will be replaced with a 12-4 structure.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, shared this update on Thursday during the 2025 extraordinary National Council on Education meeting in Abuja.
Dr. Alausa said the new system follows international best practices and aims to reduce the number of students dropping out of school. He explained that financial and systemic challenges often prevent students from completing their education.
“Extending basic education to 12 years will ensure a standardized curriculum that is uniformly implemented across the nation,” he said.
He added that this model will expose students to vocational and entrepreneurial skills early, preparing them for both higher education and job opportunities.
The Minister also noted that many developed countries already use a similar system, which helps students build a strong foundation before specializing at the university level. He believes this reform will improve education in Nigeria and make students more competitive globally.
