However, when you are applying for admission/jobs and are asked to provide details about your schools, you might wonder about the order in which to fill them. Especially if there are spaces for two or more schools, you may want to know if the information should be filled in the order of primary, junior secondary, and senior secondary school. And for those who attended two secondary schools, how should the information be filled in the admission/job forms?
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If you're seeking guidance on this matter, you're not alone. Just like a newly admitted student at Ekiti State University who contacted me when filling out his freshman bio-data. After being offered admission, the school asked him to fill a form with spaces for secondary school 1 and secondary school 2.
He was unsure whether junior secondary school (JSS 3 or BECE) should be filled in section 1 and senior secondary school in section 2. I guided him through the process, realizing that others may face similar challenges. Those situations and more will be covered here, providing answers to your questions.
Whether it's Post-UTME or Freshmen's Biodata, Senior Secondary School Information is Mainly Required
In my more than two decades as an education consultant, I have not seen many schools asking applicants or newly admitted students to fill in details about their junior secondary schools. It's not a common practice, if ever. Where such will be asked for, it'll be clearly stated in the form so that there won't be any confusion.
When forms ask for secondary school details, they typically refer to the details of the senior secondary school or the combination of the junior school with the senior school. Whether you attended the same school for Junior Secondary School (JSS) or Senior Secondary School (SSS), JSS 3 is usually not mentioned when they request secondary school details. Instead, they are asking for the details of the senior secondary school or simply both together.
JSS 3, BECE, Junior WAEC, or any similar qualification is not required when filling admission forms, freshmen's bio-data forms, or job positions. Therefore, it will be ignored, and the senior secondary information will be filled in instead.
In this case, after filling in the name of the school, count the six years of your secondary education from JSS 1 to SS 3. For example, Baptist Grammar School Ikire, Year (2013 - 2019), Qualification (SSCE - WAEC/NECO).
Where You Didn't Attend JSS and SSS in the Same School
If you took your Junior WAEC or BECE in a different school from where you took Senior WAEC, ignore the Junior Secondary class information. Instead, count that JSS 3 as if it was done at the school where you had your Senior WAEC.
Therefore, the school where you had the Senior WAEC or NECO will be dated for the six years of your secondary education. This is because no school typically cares about your junior secondary school. But they might question you if you only record three years for the school where you had your senior WAEC or NECO. Recording six years for the latter will save you the stress of explanation.
For example, let's say you had your JSS 1 - 3 at Okoya Middle School Owo (3 years) but your SS 1-3 at ADC Grammar School Apomu (3 years). When filling out post-UTME/screening forms, bio-data forms, or any other forms, you'll fill ADC Grammar School Apomu for your secondary school and record 6 years for it.
Where You Attend Two Senior Secondary Schools
For some candidates, after JSS 3, they attend two different secondary schools before completing their Senior WAEC or NECO. In this situation, the two secondary schools will be recorded for secondary school 1 and secondary school 2, as indicated in the forms being filled.
For example, you attended Iyanagi Secondary School Abeokuta (2019 - 2021) for your senior secondary school and wrote Senior WAEC and NECO there but the results were not complete. You then attended Igando Secondary School, Lagos (2022) to complete the remaining papers in Senior WAEC or NECO.
In this situation, you will fill in the two results. This will be considered as two sittings since the two results will be submitted for admission or bio-data registration. Therefore, secondary school 1 will be Iyanagi Secondary School Abeokuta, matched with the years (2015 - 2021) in the form. Secondary school 2 will be Igando Secondary School, Lagos, and will carry only 2022 since you only attended to write WAEC/NECO to make up for your result's deficiencies.
Where You Didn't Use the Results of the Secondary Schools Attended for 6 or 3 Years
There are cases of students who attended certain schools for 6 years (JSS 1 to SS3) or 3 years (SS 1 to SS 3) but failed there. Then, they enrolled in SS 3 at other schools to obtain their WAEC or NECO results. Luckily, they succeeded in all their papers, and they wouldn't have any reason to combine that with the results from the school they previously attended.
In other words, they will only use the results of the schools they attended and made their results for the admission/job. When filling out the form, fill in this school under the secondary school 1. Here, you'll enter the name of the school where you obtained the results. Instead of indicating one year of attendance, fill in the six years for it as if that's where you had all your secondary school education.
It won't matter to your university, polytechnic, school of nursing, college of health, college of education or company whether you failed at a school before obtaining results in another school. What they're interested in is where you obtained the results. Yet, they want a year range filled in that will not need further explanation for them to understand.
Just as JSS won't be needed when filling most forms, a school you attended with failures won't count. It's as if you've just gone there and wasted your years. The school where you obtained results is what counts on paper.
Where Secondary School Testimonials Will Be Required
Another area of concern is if the school/company you're applying to asks you to submit your secondary school testimonial. Testimonials, in most cases, will show the years of attendance of students.
If appealed to, most secondary schools will gladly record 6 years of attendance for you even if you attended them for just 3 or 1 year. The thing is that the school that agrees to issue you a testimonial makes money from that paper. They won't have reasons not to type in all the years!
However, even if you collect the testimonial at the former school and make use of the results of the most recent school, it's widely acceptable. If the school is interested in your story of "why," you can gladly tell them.
Conclusion
Remember that, in most cases, emphasis is placed on your senior secondary school details, with junior secondary school information often being overlooked. Whether you attended one or multiple secondary schools, the key is to accurately reflect the years spent at each institution, ensuring clarity for admissions committees.
For those who faced challenges, such as attending different schools for junior and senior secondary education or overcoming academic setbacks, the process outlined here provides a systematic approach to filling out forms. By prioritizing the details of the school where results were obtained and presenting a coherent narrative, you can effectively communicate your educational background.
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