The Federal Ministry of Education has come out with a response to a “false and misleading publication” which says, “Federal Government has set a new minimum age of 12 years for admission into Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS 1)”.
It tagged the publication as “entirely inaccurate”, saying, it should be “disregarded” by the Public.
The Ministry’s response was made known via a Press Release titled ‘Rejoinder to misleading report on minimum age requirement for JSS 1 and University admission’, signed by Boriowo Folashade (Mrs.), Director, Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Education, on Friday 25 July, 2025.
The Ministry said, the minimum age for admission into JSS 1 remains 10 years, while, University is 16.
Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, said: “The FG has not raised the minimum age for JSS1 to 12. It remains 10 years.
“University admission age is still 16—firm, consistent, and non-negotiable.
“Let’s verify facts before spreading misinformation.”
The Press Release reads: “The Federal Ministry of Education as noted with concern a false and misleading publication by The Punch Newspaper claiming that the Federal Government has set a new minimum age of 12 years for admission into Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS 1). The Ministry wishes to categorically state that the report is entirely inaccurate, did not emanate from any official source, and does not reflect government policy.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the minimum age for admission into JSS 1 remains 10 years. Accordingly, no child should complete primary education before the age of 10. Any suggestion to the contrary is misleading and should be disregarded by the public and all education stakeholders.
“In the same vein, the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Madrid Tunji Alausa, has reiterated that the prescribed minimum age for admission into Nigerian Universities is 16 years. This policy is consistent, non-negotiable, and allies uniformly, regardless of how early a student may have completed secondary education. The Ministry maintains that this age benchmark ensures the cognitive and emotional readiness of students for higher academic engagement.
“The Federal Ministry of Education urges the public, educational institutions, and media organizations to always seek clarification from official channels before acting on or publishing unverified information. The Ministry remains committed to ensuring transparency and developmental appropriateness in the implementation of all educational policies in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
