The Federal Government and the National Assembly have endorsed the West African Examinations Council’s (WAEC) plan to transition from paper-based examinations to Computer-Based Tests (CBT) nationwide.
The Minister of Education, Maruf Alausa, said this while addressing members of the National Assembly and critical stakeholders at a sensitisation meeting on Tuesday in Abuja,
WAEC had earlier announced its intention to fully migrate to CBT by 2026, a move that initially sparked controversy.
Minister of Education, Maruf Alausa, emphasised that the CBT would strengthen and transform the architecture of student assessment in Nigeria’s education sector.
He stated that the Federal Government was backing the computer-based conduct of WAEC examinations to eradicate examination malpractices and protect the credibility of the exercise.
“We have undertaken to migrate public examinations to computer-based technology as a deliberate step to secure the integrity of our education system. While some initially opposed this transition, we knew that business as usual could no longer suffice.
“The shift to designated computer-based centres will drastically reduce malpractice and safeguard the credibility of our examinations.
”This will further enhance the reputation and credibility of our examinations both locally and internationally, ” he said.
He added, “His Excellency, Mr. President, Bola Tinubu, GCFR, is a passionate believer in education, and has often reiterated that education remains the greatest legacy we can bequeath to our children and youth.
”It is the surest tool for socioeconomic transformation of our country, especially considering our population demography.
“Accordingly, this administration is laying strong and sustainable foundations that will outlive us, ensuring inclusivity for children with special needs and leaving a legacy upon which future governments can build.”
Alausa highlighted that the shift to CBT would drastically reduce malpractice and safeguard the credibility of examinations, enhancing the reputation and credibility of Nigerian examinations both locally and internationally.
Earlier, the WAEC Head of National Office, Amos Dangut, said the transition to CBT, which began with private candidates in 2024, has recorded significant progress.
He assured stakeholders that WAEC has successfully conducted exams in hard-to-reach areas without disruptions and that candidates’ performances in CBT have been empirically better than in paper-based tests.
