The Federal Ministry of Education has denied reports suggesting that the minimum age for admission into Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS1) has been changed to 12 years.
In a statement issued in Abuja, the Director of Press at the Ministry, Mrs. Folasade Boriowo, dismissed the claim as false and misleading, clarifying that no such directive has been issued.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the minimum age for admission into JSS1 remains 10 years,” she stated.
Boriowo emphasized that the alleged change did not originate from any authorized source and should not be considered as government policy. She added that:
“Accordingly, no child should complete primary education below the age of 10.”
She called on parents, schools, and the general public to ignore the misinformation and rely only on official channels for education policy updates.
The Ministry’s statement also included remarks from the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, who reiterated the existing admission age requirement for tertiary institutions.
“The prescribed minimum age for admission into Nigerian universities is 16 years,” he affirmed.
Dr. Alausa stressed that the regulation remains firm and applies universally, regardless of when a student finishes secondary school.
“The Ministry maintains that this age benchmark ensures the cognitive and emotional readiness of students for higher academic engagement,” the statement added.
The Ministry further urged media houses, schools and education stakeholders to verify information through proper authorities before acting on or disseminating unconfirmed news.
