NECO Slashes Questions From 100 To 80

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has announced a reduction in the number of objective questions for the English Language Paper III in the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination Internal.
According to the examination body, this will be effective as from the 2026 SSCE Internal exams, and the total number of questions will be reduced from 100 to 80.
NECO made this disclosure through an official notification signed by the State Coordinator for Osun State, Sunday K. Bolaji, dated September 1, 2025, and made available to media houses.
According the notification, the new paper structure includes six sections-Antonyms (10 questions), Appropriateness of Registers (10 questions), Appropriate Interpretation of Idioms, Phrasal Verbs, and Foreign Words (10 questions), Synonyms (10 questions), Grammatical Structures (30 questions), and Cloze Text (10 questions).
The time allocated for Paper III will also be adjusted to 50 minutes. This change aims to streamline the examination process and enhance the testing experience for students.
Recall that on August 29, the examination body confirmed it will fully transition from the traditional paper-and-pencil examination method to a computer-based testing system, starting with the November/December 2025 SSCE external.
This shift aligns with the Federal Government’s July 2025 directive to deploy private and public CBT centres nationwide for school-based SSCEs by 2026.
NECO has invited interested CBT centre operators across Nigeria to apply for accreditation, subject to strict technical, infrastructural, and security requirements to ensure examination integrity and smooth implementation.
This move aims to modernise Nigeria’s examination system, reduce malpractice, and improve operational efficiency while expanding digital education access nationwide.