Educational Policy Changes and Students’ Transition Challenges from Secondary to Tertiary Education: An Educational Psychology Perspective

The transition from secondary to tertiary education represents a critical stage in students’ academic and psychological development. In Nigeria, this transition is influenced by educational policy changes, socio-economic conditions, institutional structures, and students’ emotional and academic preparedness. This article examined educational policy changes and students’ transition challenges from an educational psychology perspective. Using a conceptual and descriptive approach, the study reviewed relevant empirical and theoretical literature on students’ transition experiences, educational reforms, academic adjustment, and psychological development in tertiary institutions. The article identified major transition challenges confronting first-year students, including academic unpreparedness, financial difficulties, emotional instability, poor social integration, inadequate institutional support systems, and limited access to counselling and educational psychology services. Findings further revealed that although policy reforms have expanded access to tertiary education, weak implementation, infrastructural inadequacies, overcrowded classrooms, and unstable academic calendars continue to hinder effective transition and adjustment among students. From an educational psychology perspective, the study established that successful transition depends largely on students’ motivation, self-efficacy, emotional resilience, academic readiness, and the availability of institutional support services such as academic advising, mentoring, orientation programmes, and counselling interventions. The article concluded that improving students’ transition experiences requires collaborative efforts among government agencies, educators, counsellors, parents, and tertiary institutions. It therefore recommended strengthened educational psychology services, improved funding, enhanced academic support systems, and comprehensive transition programmes to promote students’ academic success and psychological well-being in Nigerian tertiary institutions.

Educational policy, transition challenges, tertiary education, educational psychology

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