The Federal Government has released new national guidelines for continuous assessment (CA) scores used by examination bodies, including the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO).
The policy covers public and government-approved private secondary schools across Nigeria. It requires examination bodies to create secure CA portals linked to the Nigeria Education Data Infrastructure (NEDI). The guidelines also require students to use National Learner Identity Numbers (NLIN) linked to their National Identification Numbers (NIN).
New deadlines for CA records
Under the new policy, schools must submit students’ CA records within fixed national deadlines. They can no longer upload the scores whenever they choose. From the 2026/2027 academic session, schools must submit first-term CA records in January. They will submit second-term records in April and third-term records in August.
The government has also introduced penalties for schools that fail to follow the new requirements. The measures aim to improve the management and security of students’ academic records.
Schools face sanctions for violations
According to the guidelines, schools could face suspension or blacklisting for several offences. These include examination malpractice, failure to follow registration directives, learner misrepresentation and fraudulent CA submissions. The new system will also prevent schools from changing or creating students’ CA scores before their final examinations. The government said the measure will help improve data integrity and reduce examination malpractice.
CA records will follow students after transfers
The guidelines also introduce a central process for student transfers between schools. Schools must submit transfer requests through the designated portal, while receiving schools must accept or reject each request.
Once the receiving school approves a transfer, the system will update the student’s records and move previous CA scores to the new school. This means students will retain their assessment history when they move between institutions. Schools will therefore not be able to delete or alter a student’s previous CA records without authorisation.
Rules for students affected by school suspension
The new guidelines also protect students whose schools face suspension. The system will block the school’s CA portal and mark affected students as “orphaned.” The relevant examination body must notify the Ministry of Education in the affected state within two days of the suspension. The affected students will then move to nearby accredited schools or approved temporary examination centres.
Their existing CA records will remain intact throughout the process.
FG to monitor implementation
The Federal Ministry of Education will monitor compliance through its Basic and Senior Secondary Departments. The ministry will also provide oversight and intervene where necessary.
Speaking with stakeholders, including state commissioners for education, school owners, administrators and examination bodies, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, stressed the government’s commitment to reforming the education sector and making it globally competitive.
A copy of the new guidelines was obtained by Nigerian Tribune. The document requires licensed schools and national examination bodies to comply with the new policy or face sanctions. The guidelines are subject to review after one year of implementation if the government considers changes necessary.
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