The National Examinations Council has announced changes to the English Language Paper III of the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) Internal, reducing the number of objective questions from 100 to 80.
The revised format, which will take effect from the 2026 SSCE Internal, was disclosed in an official circular signed by the Osun State Coordinator, Sunday K. Bolaji, dated September 1, 2025.
According to the new structure, the paper will contain six sections: Antonyms (10 questions), Appropriateness of Registers (10), Idioms, Phrasal Verbs and Foreign Words (10), Synonyms (10), Grammatical Structures (30), and Cloze Text (10).
In addition, the allotted time for Paper III has been reduced to 50 minutes.
NECO said the decision was aimed at streamlining the examination process and improving the testing experience for candidates.
The development comes as the examination body prepares for a wider transition to computer-based testing. On August 29, NECO confirmed that it would phase out the traditional paper-and-pencil method beginning with the November/December 2025 SSCE External, in line with the Federal Government’s directive for nationwide deployment of CBT centres by 2026.
Accreditation of private and public CBT centres is currently underway, with NECO emphasizing compliance with strict technical, infrastructural, and security standards to safeguard examination integrity.
