The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, recently directed the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) to adopt a full computer- based test (CBT) for all their examinations by 2026.

He said both WAEC and NECO would begin administering objective papers via CBT in November this year, while full adoption covering both essay and objective components would commence by May/June 2026.

After observing a pilot CBT SSCE conducted by NECO at a school in Abuja on July 22, Alausa said, “I must tell you I was impressed with what I saw. I am a very happy person today that NECO has transitioned from paper-based to CBT. By November, this year, both NECO and WAEC exams will be fully CBT. And by 2026, all essays and objective exams will be computer-based.”

Hiccups

Last week, WAEC said it was reviewing the recently released results of the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates, after it discovered technical issues in the results.

In a statement by its spokesperson, Moyosola Adesina, WAEC said the technical issues were discovered during an internal review of the results released on Monday.

Likewise, the Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, had, in May this year, broken into tears as he apologised for the errors in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The glitches, which caused widespread outrage and confusion among candidates and stakeholders, were traced to a failure in the deployment of updated grading software by one of JAMB’s service providers.

“The issue specifically impacted 65 centres in the Lagos Zone affecting 206,610 candidates and 92 centres in Owerri Zone, affecting over 173,387 candidates,” Oluyede had said.

Infrastructure

Speaking with this reporter, a lecturer in the Department of Education, Federal University Wukari, in Taraba state, Dr. Joseph Kpanti, said “Nigeria does not have the infrastructure to conduct full computer based SSCE by 2026.”

He said, “In Nigeria, where millions of pupils, especially in rural areas, have never even seen a computer, let alone operate one, the plan is premature. It is tantamount to putting the cart before the horse. Secondary schools are critical in preparing students for tertiary education and the workforce, but currently, they struggle with poor funding, unqualified teachers, and abysmal infrastructure.

“Of Nigeria’s N54.99 trillion budget this year, only a meagre 7.08 per cent was allocated to education; this is a decline from the 8.21 per cent in 2024. This falls far short of UNESCO’s recommended minimum of 15 per cent.

“This inadequate funding explains why many schools lack basic classrooms, libraries, laboratories, and instructional materials such as computers and other ICT necessities. Stable electricity and reliable internet connectivity are absent in most public schools, making the desired learning outcomes difficult to achieve. This, more than anything else, proves that Nigeria is not yet ready for CBT.

“Recently, UTME candidates had to sit with candles and lanterns when power cutoffs hit parts of the country at night.”

Likewise, speaking on the matter, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the National Parent-Teacher Association of Nigeria, Adeolu Ogunbanjo, said a logical starting point would be for WAEC and NECO to establish at least one CBT centre in each of the 774 local government areas.

He said the examination bodies could individually or jointly set up such centres but noted that the timeline was too tight to achieve this before the 2026 deadline.

Ogunbanjo also raised concerns about erratic power supply, stressing the need for backup systems at all CBT centres.

Next year is too soon to get this done. I would suggest shifting it to 2027. Adequate preparation is crucial to ensure that no student is left out. WAEC, NECO cannot rely on existing CBT centres used by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.

“Then there’s the issue of backup. We all know the electricity situation in the country. CBT centres must have reliable backup power to avoid downtime. We can’t have a situation where students write exams with torches or lanterns. That would be embarrassing for a regional body like WAEC, and it must be avoided,” he said.

Malpractices

For educationist Samson Ngene, CBT tests will go a long way in curbing examination malpractices.

“JAMB conducts its exams using a computer-based testing system. They have implemented strong security measures, and as a result, fraud or cheating has been nearly eliminated. Unfortunately, we cannot say the same for WAEC and NECO.

“Technology can be used to fight this fraud. There are so many ‘miracle centres’ and that is simply unacceptable. People cheat during WAEC and NECO exams and then face JAMB where cheating is nearly impossible. That’s the disparity we’re seeing now. It’s sad.

“Examination malpractices not only undermine merit, but also discourage diligent students. The worst part of cheating is that it disincentives the hard-working ones. If I’m preparing for WAEC or NECO and I know some classmates already have access to the questions, do you think I’ll still study hard? No, I’ll be tempted to join them. That’s how good students are corrupted, and that’s exactly what we must stop,” he said.

Also, a retired principal, Femi Akinola, noted that exam malpractices put the country’s youngsters and professionals in a situation that leads to a future of social, political, and economic bankruptcy.

He said the introduction of CBT for examinations was a welcome development, noting that “we are in the era of technology where students are expected to be ICT compliant.

“Quality education is manifest in innovation and critical thinking that results in development. In a nation where exam malpractice thrives, myopic mindset, ignorance, disingenuity, and corruption characterise the people, and underdevelopment tells the story,” he stated.

“The fight against exam malpractice in Nigeria has been ongoing for years, but it has built a strong defence line fortified by characters within; students, teachers, parents, corrupt school owners, and sundry stakeholders. All these combined to make the hope of victory over it a mere dream.

“Many Nigerians believe that the CBT has helped to reduce the ubiquitous level of malpractice. Nonetheless, students, teachers, schools, parents, and corrupt government officials are still keeping vigils to unravel the seemingly foolproof CBT system currently used by JAMB,” he said.

NUT’s position

However, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) expressed doubts over the initiative, stating that it wouldn’t end examination malpractices.

NUT’s President, Nasarawa state chapter, Ishaku Abdullahi, argued that the root cause of widespread malpractice in the nation’s education system “is overemphasis on paper qualifications.”

He said “since society places high value on certificates and grades, students are often driven, sometimes with their parents’ backing, to obtain them by any means necessary, even if they lack the knowledge or skills to justify those credentials.”

Abdullahi stressed the importance of bridging the digital literacy gap among students and teachers before rolling out the policy, noting that “this would likely involve providing extra training and necessary resources.”

“We are talking about CBT exams. Where are the light, manpower, and network? You see, we have a long way to go. How many of our teachers in our localities are even computer literate? We don’t sit down within the city and give a directive that cannot be implemented.

“In my village, for instance, the network ceases. You can’t get it until you get to a particular place, and so it is in many of our villages. Some of our students have not seen a computer before, not to mention operating it. Several issues must be tackled promptly before the introduction of CBT can be effectively implemented. There is a need for collaboration among key stakeholders to enhance the education sector for the benefit of students and the country as a whole.”

Innovation

However, an educationist, Dr. John Onyemaeki Ugbejeh, advised the federal government, WAEC, and NECO to consider gradual migration of SSCE from the current physical paper-format to computer-based.

“Look at the number of people in JAMB and the number of people in WAEC; it is not something you jump into. For you to achieve that, you must sit down, create centres and take some things into consideration.

“We are going to talk about the number of computers we are going to buy and the number of centres to create that can accommodate them. You must create power and systems to accommodate the number of candidates. They can do it in phases, so that we use it as a ballot system to know the efficacy. The number of people writing UTME is less than two million, but we are talking about 10 million writing SSCE.

“There is lots of innovation that has come into SSCE this time around and I am sure if they stand by it, it will go a long way to curb examination malpractices.

“Look at the objectives that have keyed into the JAMB pattern, questions for candidates are logical, but segmented. Before you know two people writing the same thing, it will take a long time and that’s why it is helping JAMB. If they continue with that trend, it will go a long way in reducing examination malpractice,” he said.

NANS’ viewpoint

In his view, the National Public Relations Officer of NANS, Comrade Adeyemi Samson Ajasa, urged the concerned authorities to put modalities in place to avoid glitches experienced by candidates.

“We have about seven months until the examination bodies are expected to start CBT exams; it is not that it is not possible, but it would require a lot of grit and resilience to do the needful on the part of the government. Facilities have to be provided in the schools. That can be done if there will be transparency and we put in the seriousness it needs. We can do it. What it will entail is that the necessary facilities will be provided between now and then, no problems.

“Also, can they provide enough computers at least in the 774 local government areas of the country? We must also be able to guarantee the fidelity of the examinations. We don’t want a situation whereby technical hitches would be a stumbling block to students’ success or giving them needless headaches,” he said.

Suitability

Speaking with this reporter on the initiative, a former lecturer at the University of Abuja, Dr. Aisha Dikki, said although the initiative was welcomed, “it is not suitable for some disciplines” and could lead to the exclusion of some students.

She said, “It is aiming to modernize assessment, improve efficiency, and reduce malpractice. However, the feasibility raises a number of serious concerns that must be carefully considered:

“Access and equity for candidates in remote areas still remains a concern. Many candidates from underserved or remote areas may not have regular access to computers and/or stable internet connectivity. More importantly, they may lack the digital literacy required to confidently navigate a CBT interface.

“Rolling out a nationwide policy without addressing these disparities could result in the exclusion or unfair disadvantage of a large segment of the student population.

“While CBT works well for objective, multiple-choice-type assessments, many disciplines require more complex forms of evaluation, including essays, problem-solving, diagrams, or technical drawings.

“These forms are not easily adapted to standard CBT platforms. A blanket implementation risks oversimplifying assessment and undermining the depth and rigour required in many fields.” (Blueprint)