FG to Scrap JSS-SSS Separation Policy After 20 Million Pupils Drop Out

The Federal Government has announced plans to phase out the policy separating Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) from Senior Secondary Schools (SSS) following concerns that the arrangement has contributed to high school dropout rates.

Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed the decision on Tuesday in Abuja during the inauguration of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Ministerial Implementation and Monitoring Committee.

According to the minister, the existing “disarticulation policy,” which requires junior and senior secondary schools to operate separately with different principals and facilities, has failed to achieve its intended objectives.

Alausa revealed that government data showed more than 20 million pupils dropped out between primary school and junior secondary school, describing the situation as alarming.

“We have 20 million dropouts from primary school to JSS. Where are those students? We also found we have 80,000 public primary schools and only about 15,000 junior secondary schools. That’s a one-to-eight ratio,” he said.

He explained that the imbalance has resulted in overcrowded junior secondary schools while many senior secondary school facilities remain underutilised, particularly in Kaduna State and other parts of northern Nigeria.

The minister said the Federal Government would present a proposal to abolish the policy at the next meeting of the National Council on Education.

“This disarticulation policy has failed. We will phase it out. We can’t be creating positions because we want to create a director level for people while we harm our education system. It’s about doing what is best for every Nigerian child,” he stated.

Alausa noted that the policy change is intended to improve access to education, strengthen the transition from basic to senior secondary education and reduce dropout rates across the country.

He expressed confidence that the reforms would address longstanding challenges affecting the education sector.

During the event, the minister also inaugurated a committee chaired by Prof. Rashid Aderinoye to oversee UBEC-funded Smart Schools, Bilingual Schools and Alternative Schools nationwide.

The committee has been tasked with ensuring that the schools are completed, handed over to state governments and opened for academic activities.

Alausa lamented that many of the projects remain unfinished or have not admitted learners despite substantial public investment, stressing that completed educational facilities must become fully operational to support efforts to reduce Nigeria’s out-of-school children population.