The Nigerian Senate has passed a bill mandating that every Nigerian child must sit for the National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE), Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), and Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) as part of a comprehensive reform of the country’s education system.

The legislation repeals the existing National Examinations Council (NECO) Act and expands the council’s mandate to oversee, regulate, and standardize all national examinations.

According to lawmakers, the new law aims to ensure uniformity, fairness, and quality in academic assessments across Nigeria’s basic and secondary education levels.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio described the bill as a major step toward strengthening Nigeria’s education framework.
“This reform guarantees structured and fair academic progression for every Nigerian child,” Akpabio said. “Education remains the strongest foundation for national development.”

Under the new framework, NECO will be responsible for designing, conducting, and managing the three mandatory examinations, in addition to setting minimum academic standards for schools nationwide.

Senators said the measure will create a national benchmark for quality education, help identify learning gaps early, and ensure that no child is left behind in the pursuit of academic excellence.

The bill has been transmitted to the House of Representatives for concurrence before being forwarded to President Bola Tinubu for presidential assent.