The Federal Government has announced plans to phase out the common entrance examination for pupils transitioning from primary to junior secondary school (JSS).
The new system will be based on Continuous Assessment (CA), which will track each pupil’s academic performance from primary one and remain valid even if the child transfers to another school.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed this during an interactive session with journalists in Lagos, emphasizing that the change is aimed at improving access, monitoring, and management of students across the country’s educational system.
Highlighting current enrolment statistics, Dr. Alausa noted that Nigeria has over 50,000 public primary schools with more than 23 million pupils. Yet, only about three million progress to junior secondary school in public institutions.
“This gap shows the urgent need for expanded school infrastructure and effective tracking mechanisms to ensure more children access secondary education,” he said.
To strengthen student tracking, the Ministry will introduce a unique Learner Identification Number (LIN) for every pupil. This identification number will follow students throughout their academic journey, allowing authorities to monitor transfers between schools and address cases of dropouts or non-enrolment.
Under the new system, Continuous Assessment will reflect pupils’ cumulative performance from primary school, ensuring that academic achievements are recognized across institutions. The move is expected to simplify the transition process and reduce the pressure associated with high-stakes examinations.
Dr. Alausa also revealed plans to revitalize the school feeding programme to attract more pupils to public schools. Oversight of the programme will shift from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to the Ministry of Education to ensure proper monitoring and implementation.
The Minister concluded that the reforms form part of broader efforts to improve educational access, strengthen quality standards, and provide every child with the opportunity to succeed academically.
“We are committed to ensuring that children can progress smoothly through the education system while receiving adequate support and resources,” he said.
