FG’s Proposed WAEC, NECO Policy Sparks Fears Over Future Of International Schools In Nigeria

The Federal Government has come under scrutiny following a proposed education policy that could compel private and international secondary schools in Nigeria to register their students for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), National Examinations Council (NECO) or other approved Nigerian examinations from 2027.

The proposal, which reportedly threatens non-compliant schools with possible licence withdrawal, has raised concerns about the future of international curricula, educational innovation and parental choice in Nigeria.

Critics of the proposed policy argue that forcing schools offering internationally recognised qualifications to adopt additional Nigerian examination requirements could restrict educational diversity and undermine the country’s efforts to compete globally.

They contend that the government’s priority should be improving the quality of public education, rehabilitating dilapidated schools, equipping science laboratories, training teachers and modernising the national curriculum.

However, the Federal Ministry of Education’s National Policy on Non-State Schools provides important context. The policy already requires schools using foreign curricula to obtain government approval and states that candidates offering foreign curricula should also register for national examinations. FME +1

The debate, therefore, centres on whether the proposed implementation strikes the right balance between national education standards and the autonomy of schools offering international qualifications.

Education stakeholders are expected to scrutinise the policy’s implications for students, parents, school proprietors and Nigeria’s international education sector.

The fundamental question is whether standardisation should mean forcing every school into the same examination structure or establishing standards that allow different educational pathways to thrive.

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