In a sweeping education reform aimed at reshaping Nigeria’s basic education system, the Federal Government has announced the introduction of a Learner Identification Number (LIN) for every pupil starting from primary school, while also planning to completely phase out the long-standing Common Entrance Examination.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, made the disclosure during an interactive session with journalists in Lagos on Monday, describing the initiatives as critical steps toward tackling the country’s alarming pupil dropout crisis and improving learning outcomes nationwide.
Unique LIN to Monitor Every Child’s Academic Journey
Under the new Learner Identification Number system, every Nigerian child in primary school will be assigned a unique, lifelong LIN that will track their academic progress from primary one through secondary school — regardless of school transfers or changes in location.
Dr. Alausa explained that the LIN will enable authorities to easily identify students who fail to transition to the next level. “If a child is expected to be in JSS1 and is not there, we will know and find out why,” he stated.
The minister expressed deep concern over the massive enrollment gap in the country’s education system. According to official figures, Nigeria currently has over 23 million pupils enrolled in more than 50,000 public primary schools. However, only about 3 million of them proceed to junior secondary school (JSS1) in public institutions — leaving millions unaccounted for each year.
He noted that private schools cannot fully absorb this huge gap, highlighting limited access to secondary education as a major national challenge. To bridge the divide, the Federal Government is collaborating with state governments to construct more schools and expand existing infrastructure.
Common Entrance Examination to Be Replaced with Continuous Assessment
In another bold policy shift, the Federal Government plans to scrap the traditional Common Entrance Examination for admission into junior secondary schools. It will be replaced with a Continuous Assessment (CA) system that evaluates pupils based on their performance right from Primary One.
The minister explained that each student’s Continuous Assessment record will travel with them if they change schools, ensuring a more holistic and consistent evaluation of their abilities rather than a one-time high-stakes exam.
Revival of School Feeding Programme Under Education Ministry
To further boost enrollment and retention in public schools, Dr. Alausa revealed that the National School Feeding Programme will soon be revived and transferred from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to the Federal Ministry of Education for better coordination and oversight.
The programme is expected to play a key role in encouraging parents to send their children to school, especially in underserved communities.
What This Means for Nigerian Parents and Students
These reforms signal a major departure from Nigeria’s decades-old education admission practices. The introduction of the Learner Identification Number is expected to bring greater accountability and data-driven interventions to reduce the high dropout rate, while the shift to Continuous Assessment promises a less stressful and more continuous learning experience for young pupils.
Education stakeholders and parents have welcomed the announcements, though many are watching closely to see how effectively the LIN system will be implemented across Nigeria’s diverse states and the 36 state school systems.
The Federal Government says it remains committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure every Nigerian child has access to quality basic education and is properly tracked throughout their learning journey.
Stay tuned to our blog for more updates on Nigeria’s education reforms as the Learner Identification Number (LIN) and other policies roll out. What do you think about scrapping the Common Entrance Exam? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
This story was developed from the Federal Minister of Education’s recent disclosure in Lagos.