In an update published by The Punch, the Federal Government has announced the abolition of the National Common Entrance Examination for Junior Secondary Schools. The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, stated that the exam will be replaced by a Continuous Assessment (CA) system and a new Learner Identification Number (LIN) to track pupils’ academic progress from primary school through their entire education.
The reform aims to address a worrying “access gap,” where only about 3 million out of 23 million public primary school pupils successfully transition to junior secondary school. The new LIN system is designed to ensure that no student falls through the cracks during school transfers or promotions.
Tribune reported on the session where Alausa queried, “Where are the about 20 million not enrolled in our public secondary schools?” and Leadership echoed the story, noting that the “Learner Identification Number will track pupils’ academic journey.”
Echotitbits take: This is one of the most radical changes to the Nigerian basic education system in decades. While it removes the pressure of a single “make-or-break” exam, the success of Continuous Assessment relies heavily on the integrity of teachers and school records.
Source: The Punch – https://punchng.com/fg-to-scrap-common-entrance-track-students-journey-with-identification-number/, March 23, 2026
Photo credit: The Punch
