Nigeria Launches Nationwide Learning Assessment Initiative

The Federal Government of Nigeria is undertaking a nationwide learning assessment to measure pupils' literacy, numeracy, and cognitive skills, as declared by Dr. Tunji Alausa, the Minister of Education. This exercise aims to gather data necessary for reforming the country's educational system and will cover various educational levels, including primary and secondary schools.

The assessment will focus on key subjects such as English language, mathematics, and basic science, as well as non-cognitive skills to determine the quality of learning across the country. Dr. Alausa emphasized that this assessment is crucial for identifying learning gaps and implementing targeted interventions to improve educational outcomes nationwide.

The initiative is part of a renewed effort to establish a consistent framework for measuring progress in the education sector, with assessments planned every three years. The last nationwide assessment was conducted in 2019, and the next is scheduled for 2029.

The Minister expressed concerns about learning poverty in Nigeria, highlighting that many children are unable to read age-appropriate texts by age ten.