The Federal Government has announced a comprehensive set of measures aimed at eliminating examination malpractice in the 2026 examinations and beyond in the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations. This move is part of ongoing reforms to strengthen credibility, transparency, and public confidence in Nigeria’s assessment system.
Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, and Honourable Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Said Ahmed, revealed these measures, emphasizing the Federal Ministry of Education’s commitment to intensifying oversight and deploying targeted strategies to safeguard the integrity of national examinations.
According to Dr. Alausa, one of the key measures is the introduction of enhanced question randomization and serialization mechanisms. This means that while all candidates will answer the same examination questions, the sequencing and arrangement will differ for each candidate, ensuring that every student writes a unique version of the examination and significantly reducing opportunities for collusion.
The Federal Ministry of Education is also 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.
Furthermore, the ministry has developed new national Continuous Assessment (CA) guidelines for immediate implementation. All examination bodies, including WAEC, NECO, and NBAIS, must strictly follow standardized submission deadlines for each academic period: January for first term, April for second term, and August for third term.
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its strict policy prohibiting the transfer of candidates at the Senior Secondary School Three (SS3) level. This directive, already communicated through an official circular, will be rigorously enforced to prevent last-minute school changes often associated with examination malpractice.
Dr. Alausa emphasized that these measures reflect 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 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.
The Federal Ministry of Education is committed 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.
These measures are expected to significantly reduce examination malpractice and promote a culture of integrity and academic excellence in Nigeria’s education system.
