A 10-day training workshop on writing review for the 2026 National Learning Assessment (NLA) has kicked off in Lagos, marking a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to strengthen its education system.

The workshop, organised by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), brought together assessment experts, subject specialists, and teachers from across the country to develop high-quality assessment items for the NLA.

UBEC Executive Secretary, Dr Aisha Garba, in her opening remarks, emphasised the importance of the NLA in generating reliable evidence on learning outcomes in Nigeria’s basic and secondary education system.
“The National Learning Assessment is not merely a technical exercise; it is a strategic national undertaking, designed to generate reliable evidence on what our children know, understand, and can do at different stages of their schooling,” she said.

Garba highlighted the government’s commitment to strengthening assessment and learning outcomes, citing the Education Minister, Dr Tunji Alausa, approving the 2026 NLA.
She also expressed gratitude to development partners, including the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), for their technical and financial support to the NLA.

On her part, Director, Educational Planning, Research and Development, Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs Obianuju Anigbogu, explained that the NLA aims to assess learning outcomes at the basic and senior secondary levels, providing insights for decision-making, reforms, and interventions.

“The learning outcomes of our children are both basic and senior secondary, and this will inform decision making, reforms, teaching and learning, as well as teacher development,” she said.
She added that the assessment will help identify areas where students need improvement, enabling policymakers to make informed decisions.

Chief of Education, UNICEF Nigeria, Vanessa Lee, emphasised the importance of the NLA in improving education outcomes in Nigeria.
“At the end of this assessment, I expect that the children will know how they are learning; parents and communities will know how well the schools are doing, teachers will be able to improve their teaching, while at policy level, the Federal Ministry of Education and UBEC will be able to make changes to support improvements in the curriculum and teacher professional learning, among others.”

Technical Advisor, Zarko Vukminovic, highlighted the importance of national assessments in improving educational quality.
He added that the NLA will provide valuable insights into the strengths and weaknesses of the education system.

Professor Suleman Matasa, a lecturer at Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto (UDUS), described the workshop as a “great experience” that has added value to his work.

“It was actually great because we have come to contribute a moderate quota to the development of our country in terms of giving quality education,” he said.

Igba Mnena Naomi, a teacher at UBEC Model Smart School, Makurdi, said the training has helped her improve her teaching techniques and assessment methods.

Eighteen assessment experts from tertiary institutions, 35 curriculum experts from FME, UBEC, Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), and other agencies, 37 teachers in English Studies, Mathematics, Basic Science & Technology, as well as Citizenship and Heritage studies from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) alongside Directors from ministry and UBEC participated in the workshop.