Schools will no longer have unlimited freedom over when or how they submit students’ Continuous Assessment records.
The Federal Government has introduced new national guidelines that standardise how Continuous Assessment (CA) data is collected, verified, submitted and preserved across secondary schools in Nigeria.
Under the policy, WAEC, NECO and other examination bodies must operate secure CA portals connected to the Nigeria Education Data Infrastructure (NEDI).
The new framework will apply to public secondary schools and government-approved private schools nationwide.
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And there is a major change coming: starting from the 2026/2027 academic session, CA submission will operate on fixed national timelines.
When Schools Must Submit CA Records
Schools will be required to upload students’ CA records according to a nationwide schedule:
- First term: January
- Second term: April
- Third term: August
This means schools will not be able to submit or update CA records whenever they choose.
The designated portals will open and close around the prescribed submission windows, creating a standard timetable for schools and examination bodies.
Students Will Receive National Learner IDs
The guidelines also introduce the mandatory use of National Learner Identity Numbers (NLIN).
Each student’s NLIN will be linked to their National Identification Number (NIN), creating a consistent identity record that can follow the learner throughout their secondary education.
The objective is to make student records easier to authenticate and reduce opportunities for identity manipulation or fraudulent submissions.
Why the Government Is Changing the System
One of the central goals of the policy is to strengthen the integrity of school-based assessment.
The government wants to make it significantly harder for CA scores to be created, altered or inflated after the fact, particularly before students sit their final examinations.
By requiring results to be submitted within defined periods and preserved within an interconnected system, examination bodies will have a clearer record of a learner’s assessment history.
The reform therefore targets one of the vulnerabilities associated with examination malpractice: the manipulation of continuous assessment scores after they were originally awarded.
CA Records Will Follow Students When They Change Schools
The new system will also change how student transfers are handled.
A school transfer will have to be processed electronically rather than being treated as a purely administrative transaction between two institutions.
The process will work broadly as follows:
- The student’s current school initiates a transfer request.
- The receiving school reviews the request.
- The receiving institution accepts or rejects the transfer.
- Once confirmed, the student’s examination record is updated automatically.
- Previously recorded CA information moves with the learner.
This means CA records belong to the student, not the school that originally entered them.
A school therefore cannot simply erase or rewrite a learner’s previous assessment history after the student moves elsewhere.
What Happens If a School Is Suspended?
The guidelines also establish procedures for students affected by sanctions against their schools.
A suspended institution will have its CA portal access blocked, while its students will be identified as “orphaned” within the system.
The relevant examination body must then notify the Ministry of Education in the state where the school operates within two days of the suspension.
Students affected by the suspension are expected to be moved to nearby accredited schools or approved temporary examination centres established by the relevant examination body.
Crucially, their existing CA records are expected to remain intact during the transition.
Schools and Examination Bodies Face Sanctions
Compliance will not be optional.
The guidelines provide for serious consequences, including suspension or blacklisting, for institutions or examination bodies that breach the requirements.
Grounds for suspension may include:
- Examination malpractice.
- Failure to follow registration requirements.
- Providing false or misleading learner information.
- Submitting fraudulent CA records.
The measures are intended to make the new system enforceable rather than merely advisory.
What This Means for WAEC and NECO
The reform could also address a long-standing challenge surrounding the use of school-based assessment data in students’ final examination records.
Historically, incorporating CA performance accumulated from SS1 through SS3 into final examination grading has presented practical difficulties, particularly where assessment records were maintained separately by schools.
The new infrastructure is designed to create a continuous digital trail that examination bodies can access and verify.
However, the guidelines establish the framework for collecting and preserving the data; they do not, by themselves, establish exactly how every examination body will incorporate CA scores into final grades.
Federal Ministry to Monitor Compliance
The Federal Ministry of Education will oversee implementation through its Basic and Senior Secondary Education Departments.
The ministry will monitor compliance, provide oversight and intervene where necessary.
Education stakeholders—including state commissioners, private-school operators, administrators and other sector participants—have been briefed on the government’s broader education reforms.
Education Minister Dr Tunji Alausa has said the reforms are aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s education system and improving its competitiveness internationally.
The Policy Will Be Reviewed
The government has left room to adjust the framework after implementation.
The guidelines provide for a review after one year, where necessary, allowing authorities to identify weaknesses and make changes based on how the system performs in practice.
For schools, the message is clear: CA records are moving from loosely managed school files to a nationally coordinated digital system.
From the 2026/2027 academic session, deadlines, learner identities, school transfers and assessment histories will all be tied together in a system designed to make CA manipulation considerably harder.