The federal government of Nigeria has firmly denied raising the minimum age requirement for entry into Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) in the country from 10 to 12 years.
The government also noted that the minimum requirement age for entry into universities and other tertiary institutions remains 16 years.
Naijaonpoint reports that the clarifications were made in a statement issued on Saturday by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa.
He blamed the Punch Newspaper for publishing a false and misleading claim that the Federal Government had set a new minimum age of 12 years for admission into Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS1).
Alausa clarified that the report in question did not originate from any official source and does not reflect the policy of the federal government.
He therefore urged the public to disregard the initial report.
The statement reads: “The Federal Ministry of Education has noted with concern a false and misleading publication by The Punch Newspaper claiming that the Federal Government has set a new minimum age of 12 years for admission into Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS1). The Ministry wishes to categorically state that this report is entirely inaccurate, did not emanate from any official source, and does not reflect government policy.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the minimum age for admission into JSSl remains 10 years. Accordingly, no child should complete primary education below the age of 10. Any suggestion to the contrary is misleading and should be disregarded by the public and all education stakeholders.
“In the same vein, the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, has reiterated that the prescribed minimum age for admission into Nigerian universities is 16 years. This policy is consistent, non-negotiable, and applies uniformly, regardless of how early a student may have completed secondary education. The Ministry maintains that this age benchmark ensures the cognitive and emotional readiness of students for higher academic engagement.
“The Federal Ministry of Education urges the public, educational institutions, and media organisations to always seek clarification from official channels before acting on or publishing unverified information. The Ministry remains committed to ensuring transparency and developmental appropriateness in the implementation of all educational policies in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.”