FG Moves to Stop CA Score Manipulation With New Digital Assessment System

Federal Government has introduced new digital guidelines for Continuous Assessment records in Nigerian secondary schools, taking effect from the 2026/2027 academic session.

The new framework, which takes effect from the 2026/2027 academic session, applies to public and government-approved private secondary schools across the country and is aimed at improving the integrity of students’ assessment records and curbing examination malpractice.

Under the guidelines, schools will be required to submit students’ CA records within specified periods each academic year. First-term records are to be uploaded in January, second-term records in April and third-term records in August.

The guidelines also provide for the integration of examination bodies, including the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO), with the Nigeria Education Data Infrastructure (NEDI).

The system will require students to have National Learner Identity Numbers (NLIN), linked to their National Identification Numbers (NIN), to ensure that assessment records can be accurately identified and tracked.

The Federal Ministry of Education said the new arrangement would strengthen the reliability of students’ academic records and reduce opportunities for manipulation of Continuous Assessment scores before final examinations.

The guidelines were released following engagements between the Federal Ministry of Education and stakeholders in the education sector, including state commissioners for education, school owners, administrators, examination bodies and other education professionals.

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has repeatedly emphasised the need for reforms capable of making Nigeria’s education system more efficient, transparent and globally competitive.

Under the new framework, CA portals operated by schools and examination bodies will be subject to fixed opening and closing periods. Schools will therefore no longer be able to submit or alter CA records outside the approved submission windows.

The guidelines also establish a centralised process for transferring students between schools.

When a learner transfers, the sending school will initiate the request through the system, while the receiving school will either accept or reject it. Once completed, the student’s existing academic records, including previous CA scores, will be carried over to the new institution.

The policy effectively treats Continuous Assessment records as belonging to the learner rather than the school, preventing institutions from independently deleting or altering a student’s historical assessment data.

The government also prescribed sanctions for schools and examination bodies that violate the new requirements.

According to the guidelines, institutions may face suspension or blacklisting for offences including examination malpractice, failure to comply with registration requirements, misrepresentation of learners and submission of fraudulent CA records.

A suspended school will have its CA portal blocked, while its students will be classified as “orphaned” within the system.

The relevant examination body will also be required to notify the affected state Ministry of Education within two days of the suspension.

To protect students from being disadvantaged by the sanctions imposed on their schools, the guidelines require affected learners to be transferred to nearby accredited schools or approved temporary examination centres.

Their existing CA records are expected to remain intact throughout the process.

The new framework addresses a longstanding challenge surrounding the use of school-based Continuous Assessment records in senior secondary school examinations.

Although CA is conducted throughout students’ secondary education, concerns have persisted over the consistency, verification and reliability of school-generated assessment records and the extent to which such scores can be effectively integrated into final examination processes.

The Federal Ministry of Education is expected to monitor implementation through its Basic and Senior Secondary Education Departments, with the ministry empowered to intervene where necessary.

The guidelines are subject to review after one year of implementation to allow the government to assess their effectiveness and make adjustments where required.

The reform represents a shift towards a centrally coordinated digital system for tracking students’ academic progress, with the government seeking to make Continuous Assessment records more secure, traceable and transferable across schools.