The Federal Government has announced new measures to curb malpractices during the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations.In a Statement by the Education Minister Tunji Alausa and Minister of State for Education Suwaiba Ahmed, the government was intensifying oversight and deploying targeted strategies to safeguard the integrity of national examinations.
They explained that while all candidates will answer the same examination questions, the sequencing and arrangement will differ for each candidate.This, according to them, will ensure that every student writes a unique version of the examination and hence a reduction in the chances of collusion.They also reaffirmed the ministry’s strict policy prohibiting the transfer of candidates at the Senior Secondary School Three (SS3) level.
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The ministers said the prohibition, already communicated through an official circular, will be rigorously enforced to prevent last-minute school changes often associated with examination malpracticeThe statement reads: “To further ensure transparency, new national Continuous Assessment(CA) guidelines have been developed for immediate implementation.“All examination bodies (WAEC, NECO, NBAIS, etc) must strictly follow the standardised submission deadlines for each academic period.
“The submission windows are first term CA, January; second term CA, April, and third term CA, August.”The statement noted that the timelines are mandatory and designed to ensure consistency, data integrity, and prompt processing of Continuous Assessment records across the country.“In addition, the Federal Ministry of Education is introducing a unique Examination Learners’ Identity Number for all candidates. This identifier will enable effective tracking of learners throughout the examination process, strengthen monitoring and accountability, and support long-term reforms in assessment, certification, and data management.”
The ministers assured stakeholders that examination administration will be conducted under strengthened supervision and coordination with relevant examination bodies to ensure strict compliance with established guidelines and ethical standards.They emphasised that these measures reflected the Federal Government’s resolve to conduct examinations that are credible, fair, and reflective of global best practices, while addressing Nigeria’s unique educational realities.
The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with all examination bodies, state governments, school administrators, parents, and candidates to ensure the successful implementation of these strategies and the smooth conduct of the 2026 examinations nationwide.
Among the modalities announced by Education Minister Tunji Alausa and Minister of State for Education Suwaiba Ahmed is the introduction of enhanced question randomisation and serialisation mechanisms.The government said the measures are part of ongoing reforms to strengthen credibility, transparency, and public confidence in the examination assessment system.
