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FG proposes coordinated timetable for five major examination bodies to curb clashes and admission delays.
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JAMB UTME proposed for March, NECO SSCE from April, while WAEC WASSCE begins in May.
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WAEC, NECO, NABTEB, NBAIS expected to release 2027 results by August ahead of September admissions.
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Education Ministry says calendar remains proposed as consultations continue with examination bodies.
October 15, (THEWILL) – The Federal Government has proposed a sweeping harmonisation of the 2027 examination calendars of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), National Examinations Council (NECO), Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) and National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS).
The proposed arrangement is designed to coordinate the country’s major external examinations, reduce timetable clashes and ensure that candidates receive their results early enough to begin tertiary institution admission processes from September 2027.
Under the proposed calendar, the 2027 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), conducted by JAMB, will be held from March 15 to March 25, with candidates expected to receive their results within the same month.
NECO’s Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) is scheduled to run from April 1 to May 14, while WAEC’s West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) is proposed to run from May 11 to June 18.
The schedule means the NECO and WAEC examinations would overlap for four days (May 11 to May 14 ), an issue expected to form part of continuing coordination among the examination authorities before the timetable is finalised.
The Federal Government is targeting August 2027 for the release of results from both WAEC and NECO, giving candidates time to process their results ahead of tertiary institution admission exercises expected to commence in September.
The National Business and Technical Examinations Board examination is proposed to run from June 1 to July 5, while the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies examination will hold from June 10 to July 9.
Results from the NABTEB and NBAIS examinations are also expected to be released by August under the proposed harmonised arrangement.
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Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, disclosed the plan during a meeting with examination bodies in Abuja as part of the Federal Government’s efforts to streamline the country’s examination and admission calendar.
The Federal Ministry of Education said the initiative was aimed at ensuring greater coordination among examination bodies and addressing longstanding challenges associated with overlapping examinations and delays in the release of results.
A major consideration behind the proposed calendar is the transition of candidates from secondary schools to universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and other tertiary institutions.
Under the plan, candidates sitting school-leaving examinations should have their results available by August, ahead of the commencement of admission processes in September.
This is expected to reduce situations where candidates who have already taken the UTME are unable to complete admission requirements because their WAEC, NECO or equivalent results are unavailable at critical stages of the exercise.
The proposed timetable places JAMB at the beginning of the examination cycle in March, followed by NECO in April and WAEC in May.
NABTEB and NBAIS will subsequently conduct their examinations between June and July, before the targeted August release of results.
The arrangement, if finally adopted, would establish a more coordinated examination cycle stretching from March to August and linked directly with the September commencement of tertiary admission activities.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
