The Federal Ministry of Education has debunked what it describes as a misleading report by The Punch Newspaper claiming that the minimum age for admission into Junior Secondary School one, JSS1 has been raised to 12 years.
In a statement released on Friday by the Ministry’s Director of Press, Folasade Boriowo said the report was entirely inaccurate.
Boriowo added that it did not come from any official source and did not reflect the government’s policy.
She clarified that for the avoidance of doubt, the minimum age for admission into JSS1 remains 10 years.
The statement noted accordingly that no child should complete primary education below the age of 10.
Boriowo urged the public and education stakeholders to disregard any contrary claims.
The statement reechoed the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa’s reaffirmation of the prescribed minimum age for admission into Nigerian universities at 16 years.
Alausa had emphasised that the policy was consistent, non-negotiable, and applied regardless of how early a student completed secondary school.