The Federal Government has dismissed media reports claiming it has raised the minimum admission age for Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS1) from 10 to 12 years, labelling them as false and misleading.
In a statement issued on Friday, Boriowo Folasade, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, firmly stated that the minimum age for JSS1 admission remains 10 years.
“Any report suggesting otherwise did not originate from an official source and does not reflect government policy,” Folasade said.
The Ministry warned that no child should finish primary school before the age of 10, stressing that adherence to the age benchmark ensures students are developmentally prepared for secondary education.
In addition, the Ministry reiterated that the minimum age for university admission in Nigeria remains 16 years. Education Minister, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, emphasised that this policy is non-negotiable, regardless of how early a student completes secondary school.
“This benchmark ensures the cognitive and emotional readiness of students for higher academic engagement,” the Ministry noted.
The government has urged parents, schools, and media outlets to verify information from official sources before spreading potentially harmful misinformation.
