The Federal Ministry of Education has clarified that the minimum age requirement for admission into Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS1) is 10 years, contradicting a recent report by a national newspaper that claimed the age limit was 12 years.
The Ministry, in a rejoinder signed by its director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, on Friday, stated that this report was entirely inaccurate and did not emanate from any official source, and does not reflect government policy.
It added that no child should complete primary education below the age of 10, noting that any suggestion to the contrary is misleading and should be disregarded by the public and all education stakeholders.
“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 JSS1 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,” the minister stated.
The Ministry noted that the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, also 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,” it said.
The Ministry urged 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,” the ministry added.