The National Examinations Council (NECO) has announced changes to the English Language Paper III in the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) Internal, reducing the number of objective questions from 100 to 80 starting with the 2026 examinations.
According to an official notification signed by the Osun State Coordinator, Sunday K. Bolaji, and dated September 1, 2025, the revised paper will now consist of six sections: Antonyms (10 questions), Appropriateness of Registers (10 questions), Interpretation of Idioms, Phrasal Verbs and Foreign Words (10 questions), Synonyms (10 questions), Grammatical Structures (30 questions), and Cloze Text (10 questions). The duration of the paper has also been adjusted to 50 minutes.
NECO explained that the new structure is designed to streamline the examination process and improve the assessment experience for candidates.
This development comes shortly after NECO confirmed its transition to computer-based testing (CBT) for all examinations, beginning with the November/December 2025 SSCE External. The shift follows a Federal Government directive in July 2025 mandating the deployment of both private and public CBT centres nationwide for school-based SSCEs by 2026.
To support the transition, NECO has invited applications from CBT centre operators across Nigeria, with accreditation subject to strict technical, infrastructural, and security standards. The Council stated that the move is intended to modernize the nation’s examination system, curb malpractice, and promote wider access to digital education.
