The Federal Ministry of Education has dismissed recent reports claiming that the minimum age for admission into Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS1) has been increased to 12 years.

 

In a statement issued on Friday in Abuja, the Ministry’s Director of Press, Mrs. Folasade Boriowo, described the report as entirely false, stating that it did not originate from any official source and does not reflect federal education policy.

 

“For the avoidance of doubt, the minimum age for admission into JSS1 remains 10 years. Accordingly, no child should complete primary education below the age of 10,” Boriowo clarified.

 

 

 

She urged the public and education stakeholders to disregard any claims to the contrary.

 

The statement also reiterated the non-negotiable age benchmark of 16 years for university admission, quoting Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, who emphasized that the policy remains consistent regardless of how early 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 cautioned educational institutions, the media, and the general public to verify such sensitive information from official channels before acting on or circulating unverified claims.