In a decisive effort to restore integrity and credibility to Nigeria’s educational assessment system, the Federal Government has unveiled a comprehensive set of measures aimed at eliminating examination malpractice in the 2026 West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations. The announcement was made during a press briefing in Abuja by the Honorable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, and the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwabha Said Ahmed, highlighting the government’s commitment to ensuring transparent, fair, and credible national examinations.
The ministers stated that the Federal Ministry of Education is stepping up oversight and implementing targeted interventions to safeguard the integrity of the examination system. A major feature of the new policy is the enhanced question randomization and serialization. While all candidates will receive the same set of questions, the order and arrangement of questions will differ for each student, effectively producing a unique exam paper for every individual. This innovation is expected to significantly reduce opportunities for collusion, cheating, and answer-copying during examinations.
The government also reiterated its strict ban on the transfer of SS3 (Senior Secondary School Three) candidates, a practice often linked to last-minute school changes and organized examination malpractice. This directive, previously circulated through an official circular, will be rigorously enforced to prevent manipulation of student placement for unethical advantages.
To further enhance transparency and fairness, the Ministry has introduced new national Continuous Assessment (CA) guidelines, which will standardize assessment timelines for all examination bodies, including WAEC, NECO, and NABIS. The mandatory submission deadlines are as follows:
- First Term CA: January
- Second Term CA: April
- Third Term CA: August
These timelines are designed to ensure consistency, data integrity, and timely processing of student records across the country, supporting a more reliable assessment framework.
In addition, a unique Examination Learners’ Identity Number will be assigned to every candidate. This identifier will allow for effective tracking of students throughout the examination process, enhance monitoring and accountability, and provide a foundation for long-term reforms in assessment management and student data tracking.
The ministers assured all stakeholders that exam administration will be conducted under strengthened supervision and in close collaboration with relevant examination bodies, state governments, school administrators, parents, and students. They emphasized that these measures demonstrate the government’s determination to ensure credible, fair, and internationally aligned examinations, while addressing challenges specific to Nigeria’s educational system.
Finally, the Federal Ministry of Education reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with all stakeholders to guarantee the successful implementation of these strategies and the smooth conduct of the 2026 WAEC and NECO examinations, marking a major step forward in the fight against examination malpractice in Nigeria.
Related Articles
- WAEC Opens Registration for 2026 GCE First Series
- FG Clears Up Confusion on New Secondary School Subject Choices
- WAEC Timetable for Nov/Dec 2025 GCE 2nd series
- WAEC GCE (2nd Series) Registration, 2025
- NECO GCE Registration for the 2025 November/December SSCE (External)
- WAEC Results for WASSCE 2025 Exams for School Candidates Are Out
- National Examinations Council (NECO) 2025 SSCE Results
- How to Bounce Back After Failing English or Maths in WAEC
