NEWS
FG Scraps JSS–SSS Separation to Tackle 20m Dropout Crisis
By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
The Federal Government has announced plans to phase out the policy separating Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) from Senior Secondary Schools (SSS), declaring that the arrangement has failed and contributed to Nigeria’s worsening out-of-school children crisis.
Minister of Education, Dr.
Tunji Alausa, made the announcement on Tuesday in Abuja during the inauguration of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Ministerial Implementation and Monitoring Committee.Alausa said the disarticulation policy, which requires junior and senior secondary schools to operate as separate institutions with different administrations, has created severe distortions in the education system, resulting in overcrowded junior secondary schools and underutilised senior secondary facilities across many states.
According to him, the policy has placed administrative considerations above the educational needs of children, limiting access to secondary education and worsening the country’s dropout crisis.
He disclosed that more than 20 million children drop out of school between the primary and junior secondary levels, blaming the trend partly on inadequate school infrastructure and the imbalance created by the policy.
“We have 20 million dropouts from primary school to JSS. Where are those students?” the minister queried.
He noted that while Nigeria has about 80,000 public primary schools, there are only about 15,000 junior secondary schools, creating a ratio of roughly one JSS to every eight primary schools.
“It is the government not doing what we need to do. Previous administrations may have failed in this regard, but this government will not fail. We are fixing this. We need to create many more opportunities for students to progress from primary to secondary education,” he said.
Alausa cited evidence from Kaduna and several northern states, where junior secondary schools are overstretched while neighbouring senior secondary schools remain largely underutilised because each operates under separate management.
“We have overflowing JSS classrooms and empty senior secondary schools simply because there is one principal for the junior school and another for the senior school.
“I can objectively report today that this disarticulation policy has failed. We will phase it out. We cannot continue creating administrative positions at the expense of the education of Nigerian children. What matters is doing what is best for every Nigerian child,” he declared.
The minister said the proposal to abolish the policy would be presented at the next meeting of the National Council on Education for consideration and approval.
He also inaugurated a high-powered implementation and monitoring committee, chaired by Prof. Rashid Aderinoye, to ensure the completion, handover and effective utilisation of Smart Schools, Bilingual Schools and Alternative Schools funded by UBEC.
Alausa lamented that despite huge investments by UBEC in the three categories of schools nationwide, many projects remain abandoned or have been completed without being handed over to state governments for use.
He described the situation as a waste of public resources and a major setback to efforts aimed at expanding access to quality basic education.
Earlier, UBEC Executive Secretary, Aisha Garba, said the commission had recorded significant progress in improving access to quality education through its flagship programmes.
She disclosed that 37 Smart Schools have been established nationwide, with 24 already in operation, while the remaining schools are at various stages of completion, furnishing and operational readiness.
Garba added that under the UBEC-Islamic Development Bank Bilingual Education Programme, 30 schools have been established across nine participating states, with three boarding schools already completed and commissioned and four others awaiting commissioning.
She said the Alternative Schools Programme is also providing flexible and inclusive learning opportunities for out-of-school children across the country.
According to her, the newly inaugurated Ministerial Implementation and Monitoring Committee will oversee project implementation, facilitate the timely completion and handover of schools, resolve implementation bottlenecks and ensure government investments translate into functional learning institutions.
Responding on behalf of the committee, its chairman, Prof. Rashid Aderinoye, pledged that members would discharge their responsibilities with diligence, transparency and accountability.
He assured that the committee would closely monitor projects nationwide, address delays and ensure that investments in basic education produce measurable improvements in access and learning outcomes.
By Tambaya Julius, Abuja
A group of concerned indigenous contractors of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) on Tuesday staged a fresh protest at the national secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja, demanding the immediate payment of outstanding debts for contracts executed on behalf of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration more than three years ago.
The contractors, led by their chairman, Adebola Ben, accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barr.
Nyesom Wike, of failing to respond to repeated appeals for the settlement of outstanding payments owed to them.Addressing journalists during the protest, Ben said the contractors had exhausted every available channel to seek payment but had received no favourable response from the FCT Administration.
“For over three years, our requests for payment have not received any meaningful attention from the Honourable Minister. We had no option but to take our protest to his employers at the APC national secretariat,” he said.
Ben said the prolonged delay in paying the contractors has inflicted severe financial hardship on many indigenous firms, forcing some businesses to downsize while others battle mounting debts.
According to him, several contractors have laid off workers, while many are facing pressure from banks and other financial institutions over loans secured to execute the projects.
The latest demonstration came barely a week after the group staged a similar protest at the FCDA headquarters on June 22, 2026, demanding payment for completed local contracts. The protest reportedly turned chaotic after security personnel dispersed the demonstrators with teargas.
Ben disclosed that following the incident, the group petitioned the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Special Protection Unit (SPU), Femi Haruna, seeking his intervention to ensure a peaceful resolution of the dispute.
He added that the matter is now before a court of competent jurisdiction and expressed optimism that justice would prevail and the contractors would finally receive payment for services already rendered.
By Tambaya Julius, Abuja
The Councillor representing Tattara/Kondoro Ward in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, Hon. Barr. Ninda Yona, has organised a thanksgiving and appreciation summit for ward executives and local government appointees in recognition of their contributions to the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries.
The event held over the weekend in Tattara, attracted prominent political figures, party stakeholders and APC supporters from across the ward.
Speaking at the gathering, Barr. Yona commended the ward executives and appointees for their commitment and active participation during the party’s recent primary elections.
“Your role during the primaries is an indication that we are indeed making progress. You have demonstrated that you are true APC members,” she said.
The councillor also appealed to party members to put behind them any grievances arising from the primaries and focus on securing victory for the APC in the forthcoming general election.
“We apologise for whatever irregularities might have occurred during our primaries. Let us see them as challenges that will strengthen us as we work together towards success in the general election,” she added.
Also addressing the gathering, the APC candidate for the Karu/Gitata State Constituency seat in the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Hon. Dr. Abraham Habu Ekpo, urged party executives, appointees and supporters to remain united and committed to the ideals of the APC.
He stressed that unity among party members would be crucial to securing victory in the forthcoming general election, calling on members to work collectively towards achieving the party’s electoral goals.
The gatherers expressed appreciation to Barr. Yona for organising the thanksgiving and appreciation summit.
The described the event as a morale booster and a demonstration of inclusive leadership, assuring the councillor of their continued support and commitment to ensuring the APC records a resounding victory in the forthcoming general election.
By Tambaya Julius, Abuja
A group of concerned indigenous contractors of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) on Tuesday staged a fresh protest at the national secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja, demanding the immediate payment of outstanding debts for contracts executed on behalf of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration more than three years ago.
The contractors, led by their chairman, Adebola Ben, accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, of failing to respond to repeated appeals for the settlement of outstanding payments owed to them.
Addressing journalists during the protest, Ben said the contractors had exhausted every available channel to seek payment but had received no favourable response from the FCT Administration.
“For over three years, our requests for payment have not received any meaningful attention from the Honourable Minister. We had no option but to take our protest to his employers at the APC national secretariat,” he said.
Ben said the prolonged delay in paying the contractors has inflicted severe financial hardship on many indigenous firms, forcing some businesses to downsize while others battle mounting debts.
According to him, several contractors have laid off workers, while many are facing pressure from banks and other financial institutions over loans secured to execute the projects.
The latest demonstration came barely a week after the group staged a similar protest at the FCDA headquarters on June 22, 2026, demanding payment for completed local contracts. The protest reportedly turned chaotic after security personnel dispersed the demonstrators with teargas.
Ben disclosed that following the incident, the group petitioned the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Special Protection Unit (SPU), Femi Haruna, seeking his intervention to ensure a peaceful resolution of the dispute.
He added that the matter is now before a court of competent jurisdiction and expressed optimism that justice would prevail and the contractors would finally receive payment for services already rendered.
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