The Federal Government has announced plans to abolish the policy separating the administration of Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) and Senior Secondary Schools (SSS), citing its contribution to increasing student dropout rates across the country.
The Minister of Education, Olatunji Alausa, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja, describing the disarticulation policy as structurally ineffective and incapable of achieving its intended objectives.
According to the minister, the separate management structure for junior and senior secondary schools has created administrative bottlenecks that hinder the seamless transition of students from JSS to SSS.
Dr. Alausa expressed concern that millions of students who should ordinarily progress to senior secondary education are dropping out of school due to the existing arrangement.
“The massive educational leakage is completely unacceptable,” he said.
To facilitate the policy reversal, the minister directed officials of the Federal Ministry of Education to prepare a comprehensive position paper for presentation to the National Council on Education (NCE). The document will form the basis for the council’s review and possible abolition of the policy.
The proposed reform is expected to pave the way for a more integrated and seamless secondary education system.
In a related development, Dr. Alausa inaugurated a committee to ensure that all government-funded Smart Schools, Bilingual Schools and Alternative Schools across the country become fully operational.
The committee has been mandated to fast-track project implementation, remove bureaucratic bottlenecks, and ensure that the schools are completed, equipped, staffed and ready for academic activities.
“Every completed school left unused represents lost opportunities for Nigerian children,” the minister said.
He warned that no publicly funded educational facility should remain abandoned or underutilised, reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment to making all Smart and Bilingual Schools operational before the end of the year as part of efforts to improve learning outcomes nationwide.
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