FG releases new operational guidelines for WAEC, NECO students’ assessment records

The Federal Government has officially released new uniform national Continuous Assessment (CA) guidelines, forcing examination bodies including the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) to establish secure, interoperable student CA portals linked to the Nigeria Education Data Infrastructure (NEDI).

This policy, applicable to both public and government-approved private secondary schools across the country, enforces the use of National Learner Identity Numbers (NLIN) linked to the National Identification Number (NIN) for all students. 

It also introduces mandatory, strict termly submission deadlines and penalties for non-compliance.

Under the new mandate, schools can no longer upload CA data at their convenience, as portals will open and close around the same specific deadlines nationwide.

Commencing from the 2026/2027 academic session, schools must upload first-term CA records in January, second-term records in April, and third-term records in August. 

Beyond data integrity, this structural change aims to block schools from retroactively manipulating or forging student scores before final exams, directly targeting examination malpractice.

Speaking recently with stakeholders including state commissioners for education, private school owners, administrators, and other educators—the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, emphasised the government’s commitment to reforming the nation’s education sector to make it globally competitive.

In the new guidelines, a copy of which was obtained by Nigerian Tribune, every licensed school and all national examination bodies must comply with the policy or face severe penalties. 

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However, Punitive measures include suspension or blacklisting.

According to the guidelines, suspension may arise from examination malpractice, non-compliance with registration directives, misrepresentation of learners, and fraudulent CA submissions.

Under the new directive, student transfers between schools must be formally processed through the system. The guidelines state that the portal must allow schools to initiate and confirm learner transfers by submitting requests, which the receiving schools will either accept or reject. 

Through this process, the system will automatically update student records on the examination portal, carrying over all past CA data. Consequently, CA data belongs to the learner and follows them across institutions; no school can unilaterally delete or alter a student’s past CA records.

Similarly, suspended schools will face harsh consequences. According to the guidelines, any suspended institution will have its CA portal immediately blocked, and its students will be automatically flagged as “orphaned.”

Furthermore, the relevant examination bodies must notify the host state’s Ministry of Education within two days of the suspension. 

Affected students will then be transferred to nearby accredited schools or approved temporary exam centres created by the examination body, ensuring their CA records remain intact.

Meanwhile, before now, its appeared both WAEC and NECO found it difficult to make use of students CAs from SS1 to SS3 in their final grading of studens results in their school-based conducted exams.

Now, aside from issuing policy directives, the Federal Ministry of Education will monitor compliance through its Basic and Senior Secondary Departments, providing oversight and intervening when necessary.

Meanwhile, these guidelines are subject to review, if required, after one year of implementation.