By Ayomide Awe
Nigeria will begin running a nationwide learning assessment every three years, the Federal Government has announced.
Dr. Tunji Alausa, Federal Minister For Education said the new plan is designed to track how well pupils and secondary school students are learning, and to provide data for better education planning.
The test is called the National Learning Assessment, NLA. It combines two previous evaluations and will focus on students in Primary 3, Primary 5, JSS 2 and SS 2.
The subjects to be covered include English, Mathematics, Basic Science and Technology, and Citizenship and Heritage Studies.
According to the Ministry, the first nationwide exercise will run from June 29 to July 3, 2026, across all 36 states and the FCT. Officials say the exercise is only diagnostic.
“It will not affect students’ promotion, placement, or certification” Alausa said.
Alausa described the assessment as a step toward greater accountability in the sector.
He added that the results will give government credible information to shape policies and improve learning outcomes emphasizing that the Federal Ministry of Education is implementing the project with UBEC, UNICEF and the World Bank.
The Minister also expressed concern over the low uptake of digital learning tools.
He noted that the Nigeria Learning Passport, a government-backed online platform, currently has about 2.3 million users, far below the estimated 67 million learners in primary and secondary schools nationwide.
