Secondary Schools Get Ultimatum On New Minimum Standards

The National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC) has given senior secondary schools in the country nine months to implement the newly launched Minimum Standards for Senior Secondary Education in Nigeria.

The Executive Secretary of NSSEC, Dr Iyela Ajayi, disclosed this during an interview with journalists after the launch of the minimum standard on Tuesday.

According to Ajayi, the decision follows the Minister of Education’s directive to prioritize implementation over policy development.

“A policy document is worth its name if it is implemented. If a policy document is not implemented, that document is worth nothing,” he said.

The NSSEC boss said the Commission will collaborate with state ministries of education to enforce the implementation of the minimum standards.

Ajayi explained that the implementation of the minimum standards begins immediately, adding that the commission will start the visitation of all state secondary schools to assess progress.

The key features of the minimum standards document include curriculum and learning, teacher qualifications and professional development, infrastructure and learning environment, quality assurance through robust Monitoring and Evaluation, School Governance and leadership, planning research and statistics and implementation, and stakeholder commitment.

Ajayi acknowledged that some senior secondary schools face challenges such as low numbers of qualified teachers and infrastructural deficits.

The nine-month timeline is intended to allow schools to rectify these issues before the NSSEC’s follow-up visit.

Ajayi, while speaking earlier about the minimum standards, stated that it is a strategic response to the challenges and gaps identified in the senior secondary education sub-sector.

“Over the years, we have observed disparities in curriculum implementation, teaching quality, school infrastructure, and learner outcomes across different states and schools. These inconsistencies have contributed to uneven access to quality education, limiting the potential of many learners.

“With these newly developed standards, we now have a comprehensive framework that sets clear benchmarks for learning content, teacher qualification, school facilities, learners assessment, and governance in all senior secondary schools across Nigeria. This initiative aligns with global best practices and national policies aimed at ensuring that every child receives a high-quality education, regardless of location or socio-economic background,” he said.

Secondary Schools Get Ultimatum On New Minimum Standards is first published on The Whistler Newspaper