By Ajewole Joshua|ABNews| January 6, 2026
Abuja, January 5, 2026 — In a renewed push to restore public confidence in Nigeria’s secondary school examinations, the Federal Government has unveiled fresh measures aimed at drastically reducing examination malpractice in the 2026 West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations.
The new approach, announced by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, alongside the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Said Ahmed, shifts focus from punitive actions alone to tighter monitoring, improved data management, and stricter compliance with examination guidelines.
At the heart of the reforms is a redesigned examination format that ensures candidates receive the same questions but in different sequences. By randomising and serialising questions for each candidate, the ministry believes it will make copying and collusion far more difficult during examinations.
Beyond the examination hall, the government is also tightening controls within schools. The long-standing ban on the transfer of students at the Senior Secondary School Three (SS3) level will now be strictly enforced, a move targeted at curbing last-minute school changes often linked to examination fraud.
Another major step is the introduction of new national guidelines for Continuous Assessment (CA). Under the revised framework, schools and examination bodies are required to submit CA scores within clearly defined timelines — January for first term, April for second term, and August for third term. According to the ministry, these deadlines are compulsory and designed to promote uniformity, accuracy, and transparency in students’ academic records nationwide.
To strengthen accountability further, the Federal Ministry of Education is rolling out a unique Examination Learners’ Identity Number for all candidates. The identifier will allow authorities to track candidates throughout the examination process, improve data integrity, and support broader reforms in certification and assessment management.
The ministers assured parents, schools, and other stakeholders that examination bodies, including WAEC and NECO, will operate under closer supervision to ensure full compliance with ethical standards and operational guidelines.
They stressed that the new measures reflect the Federal Government’s determination to run examinations that are fair, credible, and aligned with global best practices, while addressing the specific challenges facing Nigeria’s education system.
The ministry also pledged continued collaboration with state governments, school administrators, parents, and candidates to ensure the smooth implementation of the reforms and the successful conduct of the 2026 examinations across the country.
