Secondary Education in Nigeria

Today, we will be discussing the Secondary Education system in Nigeria. Unlike Cameroon where we have a 7-year secondary educational system, in Nigeria secondary school students spend only 6 years.

The education system in Nigeria is divided into Kindergarten, Primary education, Secondary education and Tertiary education. And it is overseen by the Federal Ministry of Education.

Regional differences in quality, curriculum, and funding characterize the education system in Nigeria.

Secondary schools in Nigeria are mostly owned by the state or federallygovernement. But of recent, the federal government began encouraging the return of former church mission schools.

The structure of secondary education in Nigeria

In Nigeria, secondary education is divided into Junior Secondary and Senior secondary.

Students attend junior secondary school(JSS) for grades seven through nine and the Senior Secondary School (SSS) for grade 10 through 12.

This implies secondary school students spend 6 years before the can gradate to the Tertiary level. That is, 3 years in Junior Secondary and another three years in Senior Secondary school.

Subjects and Examinations written

The language of instruction for all secondary school grades in English, except for special courses that require another language.

Students write the Junior Secondary Certificate Examination (JSCE) and the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) conducted at the end of the Secondary School studies in May/June.

The GCE is conducted in October/November as a supplement for those students who did not get the required credits from their SSCE results. The standards of the two examinations are basically the same. A body called the West African Examination Council (WAEC) conducts both the SSCE and GCE.

Junior Secondary Education

During their 3 years of Junior Secondary School education, students take subjects such as Mathematics, English, Social Studies, Home Economics, c or Fine arts.

Students study 9 to 12 subjects, including a core group that consists of mathematics, English language, a major Nigeria language (Hausa, Igbo, or Yoruba), social studies, creative arts, integrated science, practical agriculture, religious studies (Christianity or Islam), and physical education.

Also, students may select electives from courses such as introduction to technology, home economics, business studies, local crafts, and foreign languages (often Arabic or French).

At the final year of Junior Secondary Educations, Student will write the Junior Secondary Certificate Examination (JSCE). And those who pass in at least three subjects will be admitted into the SSS.

Senior Secondary Education

Many of the subjects taken at the JSS level are offered in SSS, except in more depth.

Senior Secondary curriculum is based on 4 core subjects completed by 4 or 5 elective subjects.

Core subjects are: English; mathematics; Economics; Civic Education; one or more electives out of Biology, Chemistry, Physics for science class; one or more electives out of English literature, History, Geography, Agricultural Science or a vocational subject which includes: Book Keeping, Commerce, Food and Nutrition, Technical Drawing amongst other 17 subjects.

The SSS is a three-year course just like the JSS and students will have to write the SSCE. And as we said earlier, the body in charge of setting this exam is the WAEC (West African Examination Council).

Students are required to register for a minimum of seven and a maximum of nine subjects with English and mathematics being mandatory.

The SSCE is conducted at the end of the Secondary School studies in May/June. The GCE is conducted in October/November as a supplement for those students who did not get the required credits from their SSCE results. The standards of the two examinations are basically the same.

Further reading on this topic


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