FG's Plan to Merge Junior, Senior Secondary Schools Gets Expert's Backing

A renowned education expert, Ibironke Adeagbo, who is also the founder of IA-Foundation, has expressed her support for the Federal Government's proposed review of the current structure separating Junior Secondary School and Senior Secondary School. According to her, this move is a step in the right direction to reduce the number of children who drop out of school before completing their secondary education. However, Adeagbo emphasized that for this reform to be successful, it would require the collaboration of all stakeholders, including the government, private sector, and civil society. She noted that the foundation's position is based on discussions at its recent education summit, which brought together policymakers, education experts, and other stakeholders to explore solutions to the challenge of out-of-school children in Nigeria. At the summit, a White Paper on education was produced, and an online portal was launched to connect out-of-school children with sponsors who can fund their education. Adeagbo stressed that every child who leaves school before completing their education represents a loss of human potential, and that sustained collaboration, innovation, and accountability are needed to address the crisis of out-of-school children in Nigeria. The Federal Government's proposed reform is part of its broader efforts to strengthen the education system and tackle the persistent challenge of out-of-school children in the country. With millions of school-age children lacking access to quality basic education, education experts have argued that while policy reforms are important, improved funding, better infrastructure, teacher development, social protection programs, and stronger community engagement are critical to keeping children in school and improving learning outcomes.