The Federal Government has proposed a new examination timetable for 2027 that would enable candidates sitting the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), National Examinations Council (NECO) and other major external examinations to receive their results by August, ahead of the September tertiary admission process.
The proposed schedule is aimed at preventing delays in the release of examination results that could disrupt candidates’ transition from secondary schools to universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
The Director of Press and Public Relations of the Federal Ministry of Education, Boriowo Folasade, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday night, quoting the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad.
According to the statement, Ahmad announced the proposal during a meeting with heads and representatives of examination bodies at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
“The meeting focused on harmonising examination schedules, preventing clashes among major examinations and ensuring that results are processed and released within agreed timelines,” the statement said.
Under the proposed timetable, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) will conduct the 2027 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) from March 15 to 25, with results expected to be released in the same month.
NECO’s Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) is scheduled to hold from April 1 to May 14, while WAEC’s West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) will run from May 11 to June 18.
Both NECO and WAEC are expected to release their results in August 2027.
The National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) examination is proposed for June 1 to July 5, while the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) examination is scheduled to take place from June 10 to July 9.
Results from both examinations are also expected in August.
The proposed timetable would require the examination bodies to complete their marking, processing and other administrative procedures within the agreed timelines to meet the government’s target.
The Federal Ministry of Education said the initiative forms part of the education reform agenda of the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, under the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI).
The initiative seeks to improve efficiency, strengthen coordination among examination bodies and enhance educational outcomes.
The ministry added that consultations with the examination bodies would continue to ensure adherence to the proposed schedule, improve accountability and align the release of results with tertiary admission timelines.
The Federal Government, under President Bola Tinubu, reiterated its commitment to reforms aimed at improving the efficiency of the education system and expanding timely access to tertiary education.
However, the timetable remains a proposal, and its successful implementation will depend on effective coordination among the examination bodies and their ability to meet the agreed deadlines.
If adopted, the schedule could provide candidates and their parents with greater certainty during the transition from secondary school examinations to tertiary admissions, while reducing disruptions caused by late results.
