“The existing entrance examination will be gradually eliminated and substituted with a continuous assessment model,” said Tunji Alausa, Nigeria’s Minister of Education.
This significant shift in the education system aims to replace the Junior Secondary School Common Entrance Examination with a nationwide student tracking framework anchored on a Learner Identification Number. The new system is designed to allow for continuous assessment of pupils’ academic performance from early primary school.
Currently, over 50,000 public primary schools in Nigeria serve an estimated 23 million pupils, yet only slightly above three million of these pupils proceed to junior secondary schools within the public system. This transition has been a longstanding concern due to the significant number of pupils who fail to progress.
The proposed continuous assessment records will follow pupils throughout their academic journey, including during school transfers. This approach is designed to ensure continuity in academic records and provide a clearer picture of each learner’s development.
“This system would allow for a more comprehensive evaluation of learners over time, rather than relying on a single examination,” Alausa added, emphasizing the need for a more effective monitoring mechanism.
The reform aims to improve access, monitoring, and progression in Nigeria’s education system. Additionally, the government plans to assign a unique Learner Identification Number to every child from primary school entry, which will help detect and investigate cases of student dropouts or failures to transition between levels.
In conjunction with these changes, the Federal Government is also taking steps to revive the school feeding programme to increase enrolment and retention rates among students.
The proposed changes are part of a wider strategy to reform the education sector in Nigeria, reflecting a commitment to enhancing the quality of education and ensuring that more pupils can successfully transition to higher levels of schooling.
Details remain unconfirmed regarding the exact timeline for the implementation of this new assessment system, but the government is expected to provide further updates in the coming months.