NECO Reduces English Objective Questions from 100 to 80 

NECO Reduces English Objective Questions from 100 to 80

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has announced a major change to the English Language Paper III in the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) Internal. Beginning with the 2026 edition, candidates will answer 80 multiple-choice questions instead of the previous 100.

According to an official circular released on September 1, 2025, and signed by Sunday K. Bolaji, NECO’s State Coordinator for Osun State, Eagles Sight News gathers that the revised format will feature six sections: Antonyms (10 questions), Registers (10 questions), Idioms, Phrasal Verbs and Foreign Words (10 questions), Synonyms (10 questions), Grammatical Structures (30 questions), and Cloze Text (10 questions).

The duration for Paper III has also been adjusted to 50 minutes. In the notice, the Council explained that the adjustment is intended “to streamline the examination process and enhance the testing experience for students.”

This update comes on the heels of NECO’s earlier confirmation, reported on August 29, that the body will phase out paper-and-pencil exams in favour of computer-based testing (CBT). The transition will begin with the November/December 2025 external SSCE, in line with the Federal Government’s July 2025 directive mandating both private and public CBT centres nationwide for school-based SSCEs from 2026.

NECO has further invited CBT centre operators across the country to seek accreditation, with strict requirements in place for infrastructure, technology, and security to protect the integrity of the process.

The Council says the initiative is designed to modernise Nigeria’s examination system, curb malpractice, and increase efficiency, while also boosting access to digital learning across the country.