FG Appeals to Stakeholders on Implementation of Standards in Secondary Schools
He assured stakeholders of strict enforcement of the National Minimum Standards for senior secondary education, with severe sanctions for non-compliance.
AKACHI NOEL 
The Federal Government has expressed concerns about the declining quality of secondary education in Nigeria, citing poor learning outcomes and the inability of some students to read and write simple sentences. Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, SAN, addressed these issues during a stakeholders' meeting in Abuja, where he appealed to state governments, the private sector, and other relevant stakeholders to support the implementation and establishment of standards in senior secondary schools.
Mamman highlighted the establishment of the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC) as a regulatory body tasked with prescribing and enforcing minimum standards for senior secondary education in Nigeria. He emphasized the importance of addressing the lack of regulatory authority in the senior secondary education sector, which previously operated without intervention agencies like other education sub-sectors.
The NSSEC Executive Secretary, Dr. Iyela Ajayi, announced the development of a four-year strategic plan for senior secondary education in Nigeria (2024 – 2027) to reposition the sector. He assured stakeholders of strict enforcement of the National Minimum Standards for senior secondary education, with severe sanctions for non-compliance.
The draft documents, National Minimum Standards for senior secondary education and the draft Strategic Plan for senior secondary education in Nigeria, 2024 – 2027, were presented for validation during the meeting. These documents aim to provide a clear roadmap for the development of senior secondary education and specify standards in various thematic areas, including teaching and learning, quality assurance, infrastructure, and stakeholders' responsibilities.
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Ajayi emphasized the commission's commitment to enforcing the minimum standards and ensuring compliance by both public and private senior secondary schools in Nigeria. He highlighted the importance of benchmark performance as a basis for ranking senior secondary schools and improving the overall quality of education.
The stakeholders' meeting underscored the government's dedication to enhancing the quality of secondary education in Nigeria through collaborative efforts with relevant stakeholders and the implementation of standardized guidelines.
