Nigeria’s common entrance exam scrapping premature, experts warn

Calls to scrap the common entrance examination may be premature, according to education stakeholders, who insist that Nigeria must first tackle persistent challenges such as poor infrastructure, inadequate funding and declining learning standards before embarking on such a reform.

The federal government earlier in the year announced a plan to phase out the national common entrance examination, and replace it with continuous assessment (C.A) and a learner identification number (LIN) to track each child’s progress.

Adaobi Nsofor, a teacher based in Abuja, said, “The federal government have to look at the policy holistically and do robust research on what they are doing.

“Introducing learner identification number is good, but I think they need to work more on the systems and try it in bits.”

Nsofor emphasised that Nigeria is still struggling with network hitches, which make it difficult to operate a seamless learner identification in the education sector.

“In Nigeria, we have network issues; most times, even government websites are not working well; we are struggling with so many of such issues.

“Such a situation makes calling up students’ information difficult; the network issues may cause delays and leave students stranded,” she noted.

Moreover, she pointed out that the quota system syndrome in Nigeria’s unity colleges could undermine the policy.

Sharing her ordeal, she said, “I remember writing this federal common entrance exam, and even though I scored very high, I was the fifth best student that year, I didn’t get admission, because I came from a background where my parents didn’t know anybody.”

However, she emphasised that the learner’s identification number will eliminate examination pressure from the children.

“Most primary school students are confident when they are going in for such exams, but quite a number of them are still afraid of whether they will pass or fail.

“Besides, it’s easier to track the academic history of students with a learner’s identification number,” she said.

Isaiah Ogundele, an education administrator, said abolishing the common entrance has no meaning as far as education is concerned in Nigeria because it has lost its grip due to the increase in elitist schools that are springing up without proper control by the government.

“This private school system has eroded the value of the common entrance examination. The common entrance is now left for the poor people.

“If they scrap the common entrance examination. It will not have any meaningful impact on the educational system because the private schools have taken the glory, and they are not ready to let go,” he said.

Gloria Akinsola, a teacher, believes that the education sector is always open to changes that prepare the generation for the future, indeed.

Akinsola emphasised that the implications include less pressure on children and parents, better tracking and reduced dropouts, and easier mobility, among others.

“Removing one high-stakes exam reduces exam anxiety and the ‘do-or-die’ coaching culture. Pupils’ performance will be tracked over time from primary one.

“The LIN acts like a student ID for education. It follows a child if they transfer schools, and authorities can see if a child expected in JSS1 isn’t there and investigate why; and records move with the child, so school transfers from Lagos to Kano would not mean lost academic history,” she said.

However, she expressed concerns that continuous assessment can vary widely by school quality and teacher bias; and that exam malpractice risk shifts as there is risk of inflated CA scores, especially in private schools competing for reputation.

“The pupils’ continuous assessment only works if teachers are trained, records are accurate, and schools aren’t overwhelmed. Nigeria has over 50,000 public primary schools. Data integrity and tech infrastructure for LIN are big asks.

“If the LIN and CA systems are well-funded, monitored, and standardised, you’ll likely see higher completion rates and less examination stress. If not, you risk replacing one problem with another, inconsistent standards and weaker merit-based selection for elite federal schools,” she noted.

Gift Osikoya, a teacher in Lagos, said the proposed abolition of the common entrance and the introduction of LIN could have both positive and challenging implications.

Besides, she emphasised that the common entrance has traditionally served as a standardised measure for admission into federal government colleges.

“Its removal may raise questions about how admissions will be conducted fairly and transparently across different schools with varying assessment standards.

“There may also be challenges related to the implementation of the LIN system, especially in areas with limited technological infrastructure,” she said.

Going forward, Osikoya said the success of this policy will depend on clear admission guidelines, effective monitoring, reliable data management systems, and proper training for educators and school administrators.