The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that real learning takes place in classrooms across Nigeria, moving beyond enrolment figures to measurable academic outcomes.
To achieve this, the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has partnered with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), alongside other development partners and relevant government agencies, to conduct a unified nationwide learning assessment survey.
The survey, which will assess literacy, numeracy, and 21st-century competencies such as critical thinking and problem-solving, is expected to generate reliable data to guide evidence-based policy decisions in Nigeria’s basic and senior secondary schools.
Speaking at a 10-day workshop held in Lagos and organised by UBEC in collaboration with UNICEF and other stakeholders, the Director of Educational Planning, Research and Development at the Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs Obianuju Anigbogu, described the initiative as a major step toward improving learning outcomes. The workshop had over 130 participants, including curriculum specialists, assessment experts, and teachers in core subjects such as English Studies, Mathematics, Basic Science & Technology, and Citizenship and Heritage Studies from all 36 states and the FCT.
Anigbogu explained that the proposed assessment would evaluate students’ actual classroom performance while considering the daily challenges they face at both basic and senior secondary levels. According to her, the goal is to measure learning outcomes using standardized tools aligned with global best practices.
She noted that the findings would shape reforms and targeted interventions, particularly in areas such as teacher capacity development and provision of facilities, ultimately improving teaching and learning nationwide. She added that the workshop was crucial in developing test items and tools that would be used for the assessment.
While acknowledging that learning assessments have been conducted in the past by both the ministry and UBEC independently, Anigbogu said the new initiative aims to harmonise previous efforts into a single, unified national framework. A pilot phase of the assessment is scheduled for March, while the main exercise will take place in June, at the end of the academic session. The results, expected next year, will provide clear insights into challenges affecting learning outcomes and areas requiring intervention.
Also speaking, UNICEF’s Chief of Education in Nigeria, Vanessa Lee, commended the initiative and reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to providing technical support. She observed that the current administration, including the education ministers and UBEC leadership, appears determined to drive meaningful reforms in the education sector.
Lee emphasized that the unified assessment would not only improve teaching standards but also enhance learning outcomes for Nigerian children. She stressed the importance of collaboration between federal and state governments to advance education development and address issues such as out-of-school children.
The Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr Aisha Garba, represented by Director Mrs Ada Ogwuche, reiterated the commission’s resolve to reposition basic education and extend reforms to senior secondary education. She explained that the assessment would help determine how well students are responding to the curriculum and identify areas where strategies need adjustment.
Garba highlighted that the exercise would utilize the GOURMET template, a strictly online system designed to safeguard test items from leakage, manage large volumes of data across states, and measure students’ understanding effectively. She noted that, unlike previous assessments conducted separately since 2009, this would be the first unified national assessment covering Primary 3, Primary 5, JSS II, and Senior Secondary School levels using a single data source.
According to her, the assessment will be conducted uniformly across all states and the FCT, ensuring consistency in measurement nationwide.
Participants at the workshop expressed optimism about the initiative. Mrs Mnena Igba, an English teacher at the UBEC Model Smart School in Makurdi, described the training as enlightening and impactful. She said the workshop improved her understanding of national assessment and its objectives, noting that learning outcomes should be consistent across Nigeria regardless of location.
Another participant, a Professor of Sociology Education at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), described the workshop as transformative, suggesting that similar assessments could also be extended to tertiary institutions. He stressed the importance of evaluating whether classroom teaching aligns with curriculum objectives and truly impacts learners.
Overall, stakeholders agreed that the unified national learning assessment marks a significant shift toward ensuring that every child in Nigeria’s classroom acquires the literacy, numeracy, and critical thinking skills required for the 21st-century economy.
