National Learning Assessment to Hold Every Three Years – FG

The Federal Government has announced plans to institutionalise the National Learning Assessment (NLA) as a nationwide exercise to be conducted every three years to improve learning outcomes and tackle learning poverty across Nigeria.

The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Friday in Abuja after monitoring the ongoing 2026 National Learning Assessment in selected public and private schools across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

According to the minister, the assessment is designed to evaluate literacy, numeracy and cognitive skills among pupils and students in Primary Three, Primary Five, Junior Secondary School Two (JSS2), and Senior Secondary School Two (SS2).

Alausa said the assessment would now become a routine national exercise every three years, adding that the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has been directed to make budgetary provisions for subsequent assessments beginning in 2029.

“The importance of learning assessment is that we need to know the kind of education we are giving our pupils and students at the primary, junior secondary and senior secondary levels to determine whether they are actually learning.

“It is a standard tool that helps us evaluate the quality of education being delivered across different school levels.

“The last assessment was conducted in 2023 by UBEC, while the previous one was held in 2019 by the Federal Ministry of Education. Going forward, it will become a routine exercise every three years,” he said.

The minister explained that the initiative is aimed at addressing Nigeria’s learning poverty, noting that previous data indicated that more than 42 million Nigerian children could not read age-appropriate texts by the age of 10. He expressed optimism that ongoing reforms in the education sector would significantly improve learning outcomes.

“We need accurate data to benchmark our literacy and numeracy levels and develop targeted interventions that will improve learning outcomes across the country,” Alausa added.

He further disclosed that the Federal Government has harmonised various learning assessment frameworks into a single national system to ensure consistency in measuring educational performance over time.

The initiative forms part of the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative and aligns with the Federal Government’s broader efforts to strengthen evidence-based policymaking and improve the quality of education nationwide.