Abuja, Nigeria – In a bold stride toward overhauling Nigeria’s senior secondary education system, the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC) has intensified its nationwide monitoring and evaluation campaign to ensure schools adhere strictly to the newly established national benchmarks.
Dr. Iyela Ajayi, Executive Secretary of NSSEC, disclosed this while providing updates on the Commission’s expansive reform agenda. The current monitoring round, which was flagged off in May in Kaduna, is focused on assessing compliance with a comprehensive set of standards for teaching and learning environments in both public and private senior secondary schools.
“The essence of this monitoring exercise is simple — to enforce quality, ensure consistency, and hold our education system to an acceptable national standard,” Ajayi said. “Any school that fails to meet the benchmarks will be deemed unfit for effective teaching and learning.”
Benchmarking Excellence in Education
The benchmarks, outlined in a policy document approved by stakeholders across the six geopolitical zones and ratified by the National Council on Education, cover critical components of school operations. These include teacher qualifications, student-teacher ratios, adequacy of non-teaching staff, availability of learning spaces such as classrooms, laboratories, libraries, ICT rooms, and compliance with safety and curricular standards.
“These are not arbitrary measures. They are the minimum standards required to foster quality education and provide our children with the environment they deserve,” Ajayi emphasized.
The monitoring initiative, ongoing since 2021, is now a staple annual activity of the Commission aimed at enforcing the National Minimum Standards for Senior Secondary Education, a first-of-its-kind document in Nigeria.
Strategic Vision and Innovation
Ajayi also highlighted the Commission’s 2023–2027 Strategic Plan, which outlines targeted interventions to reposition senior secondary education in Nigeria. Among the Commission’s innovations is the recent launch of a nationwide Artificial Intelligence (AI) training program for 6,000 selected senior secondary school teachers in all 36 states and the FCT.
Organized in partnership with Google Research, the AI initiative is designed to integrate emerging technologies into the classroom and empower teachers with modern instructional tools.
“This programme will help position our education system for the digital economy. We’re not just playing catch-up; we’re preparing our teachers to lead in a tech-driven future,” he said.
Capacity Building and Partnerships
Beyond infrastructure and curriculum standards, NSSEC is also investing in capacity building, not only for teachers but also for traditional rulers, recognizing their pivotal roles in boosting enrolment and school security. The Commission has also forged partnerships with international institutions like the British Council and the American Embassy for training and resource development.
In a drive to ensure participatory school governance, NSSEC has initiated state-wide engagements with School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs) and supported the Safe Schools Initiative, aimed at addressing insecurity in learning environments.
Ajayi further noted the Commission’s commitment to STEM education, citing the annual organisation of science exhibitions across the country, and the publication of comprehensive data on senior secondary schools to aid evidence-based policy formulation.
Collaboration with the FCT and Beyond
Commending the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) administration for its strides in education, Ajayi pledged deeper collaboration with the FCT Education Secretariat to advance school standards in the territory.
“Our vision is clear — every senior secondary school should be a centre of excellence. We want to nurture innovators, future leaders, and responsible citizens,” he said.
Responding, the Acting Secretary of the FCT Education Secretariat, Sani El-Yakub Hayyo, reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to the partnership.
“We are partners in progress. Your initiatives align with our goals, and we’re open to any collaboration that will drive meaningful change,” Hayyo said.
Towards a New Era in Senior Secondary Education
With a laser focus on regulation, innovation, and partnership, NSSEC appears poised to redefine senior secondary education in Nigeria. As the Commission pushes ahead with its reforms, education stakeholders are optimistic that these sustained efforts will elevate standards, reduce dropout rates, and close the gap between policy and practice.
“Quality education is not a privilege — it is a right. And we are determined to deliver on that right for every Nigerian child,” Ajayi concluded.
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