FG to conduct national learning assessment every three years

Nigeria's Federal Government plans to institutionalize a national learning assessment every three years, aiming to combat learning poverty and enhance the quality of education nationwide. Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa announced the plan following monitoring of the ongoing 2026 National Learning Assessment in Abuja schools.

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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.

The assessment will evaluate literacy, numeracy, and cognitive skills among students in Primary Three, Primary Five, Junior Secondary School Two, and Senior Secondary School Two. The Universal Basic Education Commission has been directed to include budgetary provisions for the triennial assessment starting in 2029. Previous assessments were conducted in 2023 and 2019.

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

Alausa emphasized the assessment's importance in evaluating the effectiveness of education delivery and addressing the challenge of learning poverty, where millions of children struggle with age-appropriate reading by age 10. He expressed optimism that ongoing reforms would improve learning outcomes, with the assessment providing crucial data for targeted interventions and evidence-based policymaking. The government has also harmonized various assessment frameworks into a single national system to ensure consistency and track progress over time, aligning with President Bola Tinubu's education transformation agenda.

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Going forward, it will become a routine exercise every three years.