Nigeria › National Learning Assessment (NLA)
From February 2026 through December 2027, UNICEF is partnering with Creative Learning to support the Federal Ministry of Education (FME) and Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) in Nigeria on the development and implementation of the country’s new National Learning Assessment (NLA). The project provides technical assistance to strengthen Nigeria’s national learning assessment system across primary and secondary education, helping government generate reliable data on student learning outcomes and skills development. Through this initiative, Creative Learning provides comprehensive support at all stages of the assessment cycle, including the design of assessment frameworks, item development, pilot and operational testing, psychometric and statistical analyses, creation of public and technical reports, national and subnational scorecards, and use of data to support policy and instruction.
The project also emphasizes long-term capacity strengthening and the practical use of data aimed to improving education systems and student learning outcomes across Nigeria. Working closely with government technical teams and local education experts, Creative Learning is facilitating capacity strengthening workshops embedded in all staged of the project delivery, covering test development, sampling, data collection, analysis of both achievement and questionnaire data, and development of digital data systems that will allow stakeholders to access assessment results at national, state, and local government levels. A key objective of our training, mentorship, and collaborative technical workshops is empowering FME and UBEC staff to lead future national learning assessments following high professional standards in large-scale assessment practices.
Key Achievements:
Led the workshop on development of Assessment Frameworks aligned with national curriculum and international learning standards (Global Proficiency Framework).
Led the workshop on development and validation of curriculum-aligned learning assessment items across multiple subjects and grade levels, building a digital item bank to support the National Learning Assessment (NLA) 2026 in Nigeria. This also includes development of background surveys targeting learners, parents, teachers, and school leaders (head-teachers and principals).
Coached the national expert teams in the process of assembly and quality assurance of pilot test and survey forms for all targeted subjects and grade levels, based on assessment frameworks and test blueprints, using the digital item banking platform.
Designed and delivered training for test administrators on standardized assessment procedures, test security, and pilot test administration protocols to ensure reliable and consistent piloting procedures across participating schools.
Supported government in development of a pilot sampling plan that balanced urban and rural locations, public and private schools, and varying performance levels to support robust psychometric analysis and feasible field testing.
Donor: UNICEF
Start Date: February 2026
End Date: December 2027
Learners Assessed: TBD
