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OVERVIEW OF NATIONAL SENIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION COMMISSION

Background 

Education is an instrument per excellence for national development. Senior Secondary education is considered the most vital among the three sectors in the Nigerian educational system because it is at this level of education that attitudes, skills and academic excellence are developed for useful living in the society. If global competitiveness in entrepreneurship, science and technology is to be achieved, availability of quality manpower is a must and this can be achieved through proper educational regulation at all levels. Senior Secondary Education was the only sub-sector in the Nigeria educational system without a functional regulatory body/Agency despite its key role as a bridge between the basic and tertiary levels of education. 

Senior Secondary Education

The National Secondary Education Commission (NSEC) Law was enacted in 2004 (LFN, 2004 Cap 73), but with the disarticulation of junior secondary school to basic education, the bill is being amended to become National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC) under the current administration of Mr. President, Muhammadu Buhari GCFR. 

The Commission however, was not operational until 2021 when the Honourable Minister for Education Mallam Adamu Adamu in line with his visionary Education Agenda for change, obtained approval to resuscitate the National Senior Secondary Education Commission with the aim of repositioning the Senior Secondary Schools graduates for global competitiveness. The Commission is also saddled with the responsibility of intervening in critical areas such as infrastructural deficit, human capacity development and instructional materials.

Prof. Benjamin Abakpa was appointed the pioneer Executive Secretary of the Commission in April 2021 and the Commission came to limelight with 60 staff who were deployed/seconded from various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).