Senate passes bill to reform senior secondary education

By Henry Umoru The Senate has passed the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2026, seeking to strengthen the administration, coordination and governance of public senior secondary education in Nigeria. The executive bill, sponsored by President Bola Tinubu, was transmitted to the Senate in July 2026 for legislative consideration.

The proposed legislation, titled the National Senior Secondary Education Commission Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026 (SB. 1075), was passed on Wednesday after consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Education (Basic and Secondary). Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (APC, Abia North) presented the committee’s report on behalf of its chairman, Senator Lawal Adamu Usman (Kaduna Central).

Following a clause-by-clause consideration of the report at the Committee of the Whole, the Senate approved the bill, which was subsequently read for the third time and passed. Presenting the report, Kalu urged the Senate to consider and adopt the recommendations of the committee on the proposed legislation. According to the report, the National Senior Secondary Education Commission was established under the National Senior Secondary Education Commission Act, 2023, to regulate and promote the development of senior secondary education in Nigeria.

It stated that experience gained in implementing the Act had revealed areas requiring amendments to strengthen governance, improve coordination between the Federal and State Governments, promote accountability and support the effective implementation of national education policies. The report added that the proposed amendments were intended to address the identified challenges and make the legislation more effective in achieving its objectives.

Kalu disclosed that the House of Representatives had also considered the bill and referred it to its Committee on Basic Education and Services for further legislative action. He said this informed the decision to conduct a joint stakeholder hearing and clause-by-clause consideration to ensure comprehensive consolidation, a uniform report and smoother legislative proceedings.

Recall that President Tinubu transmitted the executive bill to the Senate in July through a letter read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary. In the letter, Tinubu said the Federal Executive Council had approved the amendment bill at its meeting on April 30, 2026, before the Federal Ministry of Justice vetted and finalised it in line with constitutional provisions and legislative drafting standards.

The President said the proposed amendment was part of his administration’s commitment to strengthening educational institutions in the national interest. Following the presentation of the bill, Akpabio referred it to the Senate Committee on Rules and Business for legislative processing and directed it to report back within one week. The passage comes amid broader discussions on the Federal Government’s education reform agenda, including a proposal by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, to restructure the country’s basic education system.

Alausa had said the proposed reform was aimed at reducing school dropout rates, simplifying learners’ progression and ensuring that every child received 12 years of uninterrupted schooling before proceeding to higher education or vocational training. Nigeria currently operates the 6-3-3-4 education system, comprising six years of primary education, three years of junior secondary education, three years of senior secondary education and four years of tertiary education.

Education stakeholders have, however, continued to raise concerns over challenges affecting pupils’ progression through the system, including inadequate infrastructure, poverty, insecurity and financial constraints, which contribute to school dropout rates.