In an update published by The Punch, Education Minister Tunji Alausa has announced the total abolition of the National Common Entrance Examination for entry into Junior Secondary Schools. Instead, the government will implement a Learner Identification Number (LIN) system to track students’ progress from primary school through their entire academic career.
The shift is intended to stop the “leakage” in the education system, where millions of students fail to transition from primary to secondary school. By using the LIN, the ministry hopes to create a more inclusive data-driven approach that removes the “one-day exam” barrier for millions of Nigerian children.
Leadership echoed the development, stating the “LIN will track the academic journey of every child,” while Tribune reported that “the move aims to bridge the access gap” in public schools.
Echotitbits take: Scrapping the Common Entrance is a bold move toward modernizing school placement. The real challenge will be the digital infrastructure required to manage 23 million student IDs across rural Nigeria.
Source: BusinessDay – https://businessday.ng/education/article/alausa-announces-plan-to-scrap-common-entrance-for-learner-id-tracking/, March 25, 2026
Photo credit: BusinessDay
