Candidates sitting for the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination have a confirmed schedule to work with, as the National Examinations Council has released its official timetable for the June/July sitting.

The examination opens on Monday, 15 June 2026, with practical and oral papers across subjects, including Physical Education, Foods and Nutrition, Home Management, Fashion Design, Computer Hardware, Catering Craft, and Beauty and Cosmetology. Specific dates and times for those papers within the 15 to 19 June window will be communicated directly by the Council.

The first fully scheduled written paper falls on Monday, 22 June, when candidates sit the Computer Studies Practical from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. French written papers follow on 23 June, with Music and Arabic scheduled for 24 June.

Chemistry Practical holds on Thursday, 25 June from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon, while Biology Practical follows on Friday, 26 June at the same time. General Mathematics, one of the most anticipated core papers, is scheduled for Wednesday, 1 July, with the Objective paper running from 10:00 am to 11:45 am and the Essay paper from 12:00 noon to 2:30 pm.

English Language papers sit on Wednesday, 15 July. Candidates will write the Objective paper from 10:00 am to 11:00 am, the Essay from 11:15 am to 1:00 pm, and the Test of Orals from 1:15 pm to 2:00 pm. The final papers on the timetable are scheduled for Thursday, 23 July, covering Marketing in the morning and Livestock Farming in the afternoon.

NECO has issued several directives alongside the timetable. Every candidate must present a photocard for identification. Where the time printed on a question paper differs from the timetable, candidates are required to follow the question paper. Albino and blind candidates will receive 30 additional minutes per subject, and blind candidates must use NECO supplied or customised Braille sheets throughout the examination period.

The council has also prohibited electronic communication devices from examination halls, including mobile phones, programmable calculators, tablets, smart watches, smart glasses, and smart pens. Scientific calculators remain permitted.

Candidates are further advised that any candidate who does not sit for a Practical paper will not receive a result for that subject.