FG Discovers New Strategy to End WAEC, NECO Malpractice

• The Federal Government has announced fresh strategies, including technology-driven reforms and stricter oversight, to tackle examination malpractice in WAEC and NECO examinations starting from 2026.

The Federal Government has unveiled new strategies aimed at curbing examination malpractice in the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations beginning from 2026, as part of efforts to restore credibility and public trust in Nigeria’s education assessment system.

The measures were announced on Monday in Abuja by the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa, alongside the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Ahmed.

According to the ministers, the reforms are designed to enhance transparency and strengthen oversight across all stages of national examinations. The announcement was conveyed in a statement signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, Boriowo Folasade.

The ministry said the new approach is targeted at addressing long-standing challenges associated with cheating and irregularities in public examinations, adding that technology-driven solutions and stricter administrative controls would be deployed to safeguard the integrity of WAEC and NECO.

One of the major reforms outlined is the introduction of enhanced question randomisation and serialisation. While candidates will still answer the same questions, the order and structure of the questions will differ from one candidate to another.

The ministry explained that this method would ensure that “every student writes a unique version of the examination,” thereby significantly reducing opportunities for collusion in examination halls.

The Federal Government also restated its position on student transfers at the senior secondary level, warning that existing regulations would now be strictly enforced.

It recalled that transfers of candidates in Senior Secondary School Three had already been prohibited through an official circular, noting that the policy was designed to curb last-minute school changes often linked to examination malpractice.

To further improve accountability, the ministry disclosed that new national guidelines for Continuous Assessment (CA) have been developed and approved for immediate implementation.

Under the guidelines, all examination bodies, including WAEC, NECO and NBAIS, are required to comply with fixed submission timelines for assessment records.

“All examination bodies must strictly follow the standardised submission deadlines for each academic period: First Term CA in January, Second Term CA in April, and Third Term CA in August,” the statement said, adding that the timelines are mandatory to ensure consistency, data integrity and prompt processing nationwide.

In addition, the ministry announced the introduction of a unique Examination Learners’ Identity Number for all candidates. Officials said the identifier would enable effective tracking of learners throughout the examination process, strengthen monitoring and accountability, and support long-term reforms in assessment, certification and data management.

The ministers assured stakeholders that examination administration would be carried out under closer supervision in collaboration with examination bodies to ensure compliance with ethical standards.

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They stressed that the measures reflect the Federal Government’s commitment to conducting examinations that are credible, fair and aligned with global best practices, while addressing Nigeria’s unique educational realities.

The ministry reaffirmed its readiness to work with examination bodies, state governments, school administrators, parents and candidates to ensure the successful implementation of the reforms and the smooth conduct of the 2026 examinations nationwide.