The Federal Government has unveiled plans to discontinue the Junior Secondary School Common Entrance Examination and replace it with a nationwide student tracking framework anchored on a Learner Identification Number.
Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, disclosed the proposal during an interactive session with journalists in Lagos on Saturday, outlining a series of reforms aimed at improving access, monitoring, and progression within the country’s education system.
Under the new arrangement, the existing entrance examination will be gradually eliminated and substituted with a continuous assessment model that captures pupils’ academic performance from their early years in primary school. The minister explained that this system would allow for a more comprehensive evaluation of learners over time, rather than relying on a single examination.
He noted that the continuous assessment records would follow pupils throughout their academic journey, including instances where they transfer between schools. According to him, the approach is designed to ensure continuity in academic records and provide a clearer picture of each learner’s development.
The reform is also expected to address longstanding concerns about the transition from primary to junior secondary education, particularly the significant number of pupils who fail to progress to the next stage. Citing government data, the minister highlighted a stark gap in enrolment figures.
Nigeria currently has over 50,000 public primary schools with an estimated 23 million pupils. However, only slightly above three million of these learners proceed to junior secondary schools within the public system. The disparity, he noted, raises concerns about the whereabouts of millions of school-age children who are not accounted for at the secondary level.
The minister attributed this gap largely to limited access, pointing out that existing private schools cannot absorb the shortfall. He stressed the need for state governments to expand educational infrastructure to accommodate more students, revealing that discussions had already been held with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum on the matter.
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As part of efforts to strengthen monitoring, the government plans to assign a unique Learner Identification Number to every child from the point of entry into primary school. The identifier, according to the minister, will remain with each student regardless of school transfers, enabling authorities to track their academic progression nationwide.
He explained that the system would make it easier to detect and investigate cases where students drop out or fail to transition between levels. By identifying such gaps early, policymakers would be better positioned to implement targeted interventions.
In addition to these measures, the minister disclosed that steps are being taken to revive the school feeding programme as part of broader efforts to increase enrolment and retention in public schools. He added that there are considerations to move the programme under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Education to enhance oversight and effectiveness.
The proposed changes form part of a wider strategy by the Federal Government to reform the education sector, improve retention rates, and ensure that more Nigerian children complete their basic education.