The Federal Government has prohibited the admission and transfer of students into Senior Secondary School Three (SS3) in all public and private secondary schools nationwide.
The directive was announced by the Federal Ministry of Education and will take effect from the 2026/27 academic calendar.
The ban comes amid rising concerns over examination malpractice, including the use of special centres during national examinations, which have undermined the credibility of Nigeria’s education system.
The Ministry explained that the policy limits admissions and transfers strictly to Senior Secondary School One (SS1) and Senior Secondary School Two (SS2), with no exceptions for SS3.
The Ministry emphasised that the measure seeks to prevent last-minute movements of students designed to gain unfair advantages during national examinations. Such movements, the Ministry said, have contributed to rising examination malpractice and the use of “special centres” where students attempt to manipulate results.
By limiting school changes to earlier years, officials believe students will experience uninterrupted learning and more consistent academic monitoring, which is expected to strengthen the integrity of the final-year examinations.
“School proprietors, principals, and administrators nationwide have been directed to comply fully with the policy, as any violation will attract appropriate sanctions in line with existing education regulations and guidelines,” they stated
The Federal Government has rolled out several measures over the past year to address the persistent problem of examination malpractice in Nigeria. Key among these is a directive that students caught cheating in any national examination will be banned from sitting for external exams for three years, a policy designed to deter candidates and their sponsors and to restore confidence in the country’s examination system.
This ban applies across all major exam bodies, including JAMB, WAEC, NECO, and NABTEB, and is enforced using the National Identification Number to prevent offenders from evading sanctions.
In addition to tougher penalties for candidates, sanctions have also been extended to schools and Computer-Based Test centres found to be aiding malpractice. Derecognition of facilities involved in cheating is aimed at reducing the influence of so‑called miracle centres that help students secure unfair advantages.
The government has also proposed establishing a National Examination Malpractice Tribunal to ensure prompt prosecution of exam fraud and serve as a strong deterrent. This proposal was part of recommendations from a high‑level committee reviewing examination integrity and quality.
Further structural reforms include the government’s move to fully transition major national exams to computer‑based testing by 2026, with the aim of reducing opportunities for conventional forms of cheating and strengthening security around exam administration.