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 pointed out that 16 is still the minimum age needed to enroll in universities and other postsecondary educational institutions.
It was reported that the corrections were made in a statement issued on Saturday by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa.
He accused the Punch Newspaper of spreading the untrue and deceptive rumor that the Federal Government has raised the minimum age requirement for Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS1) admission to 12 years old.
Alausa confirmed that the aforementioned report did not come from an official source and does not represent federal policy.
As a result, he advised the public to ignore the first report.
“The Federal Ministry of Education has expressed concern about a false and misleading publication by The Punch Newspaper that claims the Federal Government has set a new minimum age of 12 years for admission into Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS1),” the statement reads. The Ministry would like to make it clear that this story is completely untrue, did not come from an official source, and does not represent the position of the government.
Read Also: Tinubu’s Spokesperson Addresses President’s Health Concerns
To be clear, the minimum age to be admitted to JSSl is still ten years old. Therefore, no child should finish elementary school before the age of ten. The public and all parties involved in education should ignore any indication to the contrary since it is deceptive.
In keeping with this, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, the Honourable Minister of Education, has reaffirmed that 16 is the minimum age required for admission to Nigerian universities. Regardless of when a kid may have finished secondary school, this regulation is uniform, non-negotiable, and constant. According to the Ministry, this age guideline guarantees that pupils are emotionally and cognitively prepared for increased academic involvement.
Before acting upon or disseminating unconfirmed material, the Federal Ministry of Education advises the general public, educational institutions, and media outlets to always seek clarification through official means. In accordance with the Renewed Hope Agenda, the Ministry is still dedicated to making sure that all educational policies are implemented with transparency and developmental appropriateness.