Nigeria’s plan to phase out the separation between junior and senior secondary schools could make movement through the education system easier, but the reform may have limited effect unless it is accompanied by stronger early-grade learning and better teacher preparation.
The concern was raised by Molade Adeniyi, Chief Executive Officer of Teach for Nigeria, who welcomed the Federal Ministry of Education’s decision while warning that the administrative change alone would not address the deeper reasons many Nigerian children leave school.
Education Minister, Dr Tunji Alausa, had said the existing structure had contributed to gaps in access. He noted the imbalance between about 80,000 public primary schools and only around 15,000 junior secondary schools. The ministry is phasing out the separation as part of efforts to improve the transition of pupils into senior secondary education.
Adeniyi described the decision as a positive step, particularly because the current arrangement has created an institutional barrier for children moving from one level to another.
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He, however, said the government must look beyond the physical and administrative transition between schools.
National education data cited in the article indicate that fewer than three in 10 Nigerian pupils attain minimum literacy or numeracy standards by Primary 3. UNICEF estimates that about seven in 10 primary-age children in Nigeria cannot read with understanding or solve simple arithmetic problems.
For Adeniyi, these learning gaps begin long before pupils reach junior secondary school. A child who struggles to read or perform basic calculations in the early grades is likely to face serious difficulties later, regardless of how easily the school system allows the child to progress.
The problem also varies sharply across regions. Government figures cited by the Education Ministry show that literacy levels in some northern states are in single digits, while some parts of southern Nigeria record rates above 50 per cent.
A uniform national reform, therefore, could produce different outcomes across states unless it is accompanied by targeted interventions for children with the greatest learning deficits.
Teacher supply and competence present another challenge.
Data from the Universal Basic Education Commission indicate a primary-school teacher shortage approaching 200,000, while the national pupil-teacher ratio stands at about 1:35, compared with the UNESCO benchmark of 1:25.
Teacher qualifications are another concern. UBEC figures indicate that almost one-third of basic education teachers do not meet the minimum qualification standards.
Adeniyi said recruiting more teachers would not, by itself, resolve the problem. He pointed to the need for sustained training that equips teachers to identify learning difficulties and help pupils overcome them.
He said the reform should therefore be implemented alongside stronger Foundational Literacy and Numeracy programmes and a teacher-development strategy covering both new recruits and those already in classrooms.
The distinction is important because increasing enrolment or improving progression rates does not automatically translate into better learning outcomes. Children may advance from one level to another while still lacking the basic skills needed to cope with the next stage of education.
Adeniyi also welcomed the ministry’s efforts to get idle Smart Schools and Bilingual Schools staffed and operational, saying such measures could contribute to a more functional education system.
The central challenge, however, is to ensure that children do not merely pass through the school system but acquire the skills required to learn, work and participate effectively in society.
The JSS-SSS reform could remove one obstacle in that journey. The greater test will be whether Nigeria can simultaneously strengthen classrooms, equip teachers, and ensure that children acquire reading and numeracy skills early enough to benefit from the opportunities the restructured system is designed to provide.
