SSCE Debate: Stakeholders Clash with WAEC and NECO Over Proposed Use of CBT
According to the views of important stakeholders regarding the nation’s preparedness for such an exercise, the announcement made by Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa that the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) will now conduct the Senior Secondary School Examinations computer-based starting next year may need to be reviewed.
Although WAEC and NECO’s leadership asserts that their organizations are prepared to face the new challenge, the nation’s capacity to provide the facilities required could be a major obstacle.
Speaking at a Zoom meeting called “CBT for SSCE: Is Nigeria Ready?” hosted by the Education Writers Association of Nigeria, or EWAN, WAEC’s Head of National Office, or HNO, Dr. Amos Dangut, and NECO’s Registrar, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, stated that their agencies had begun using CBT for some of their exams and that they would just need to work harder.
Critical stakeholders, including parents, students, university professors, and education specialists, disputed the assertion, arguing that the nation’s infrastructure fell well short of what was required to achieve the government’s goal.
Switching the mode call from SSCE to CBT
While the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, or UTME, was being administered this year in April, the minister visited several of the testing locations.
During the inspection, he announced that WAEC and NECO would begin employing the CBT technique for their external tests in November or December of this year. The test is intended for external candidates and is not school-based.
He further stated that the examination boards would administer the school-based exams entirely in CBT style starting in May or June 2026. Since then, the statement has been causing reactions.
Nigerian CBT test history
In 2013, the country’s first CBT exam was administered by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, or JAMB. Even if there was criticism at the time, the decision is now permanent. The Board currently uses 887 locations nationwide for its exams, with universities, colleges, and private organizations providing the facilities and receiving commissions from the Board for their use.
According to Wikipedia and its website, nou.edu.ng, the National Open University of Nigeria, or NOUN, has 114 study centers and does not specify how many CBT centers it offers.
While not all of these study centers have facilities specifically designed for CBT, they do provide services such as CBT for exams. Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones are home to the 114 study centers.
Logistics problems will be avoided thanks to CBT-WAEC HNO
Adopting CBT would spare examination boards some logistical issues, according to Dr. Amos Dangut, the HNO of WAEC, who is still recovering from the shock of having one of its crucial papers administered late a few days ago.
When several candidates stayed up until midnight last week to write their English language paper, the exam board came under fire.
We can make use of other agencies’ facilities — NECO boss
In his opinion, Prof. Dantani Wushishi noted that CBT facilities currently used by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, and the National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN, could be used to support the conduct of their examinations.
“Are we prepared?” you inquired. Being ready suggests being completely prepared, but in real life, you can’t be that way. Instead, you have to continuously come up with new ideas and ways to improve what you’re doing. We have incorporated numerous ICT advances into our operations.
It is a presidential directive. A few key topics served as the foundation for the minister’s statements. We cover 120 papers in 26,000 centers and schools throughout 76 topic areas.
The constitution lists education as a concurrent list, and states are expected to participate. How many CBT centers are there in schools? It will cost a lot of money.
Both the National Open University of Nigeria and JAMB have more than 800 CBT centers nationwide. They are also helpful. Is it not a school-based exam that we administer via CBT in November and December?
“When we met with the minister, he agreed that there should be awareness, and we are talking with stakeholders so each of them knows the roles they would play,” he continued, referring to the nation’s computer literacy level.
“Both our physical and CBT centers are currently being mapped. All we need to do is make a few changes. It took some years for those taking CBT tests to reach the point at which we are now.” Adoption of technology is the issue.
According to the Education Ministry, it will lessen exam misconduct.
Hajia Binta Abdulkadir, the director of senior secondary education at the Federal Ministry of Education (FME), said that switching to a computer-based test (CBT) will decrease exam-related malpractice.
Exams are essential to education everywhere. They serve as evaluation tools. In order to utilize the facilities that are accessible, we will turn inward. We won’t begin at all if we don’t. Compared to paper tests, CBT exams have lower misconduct rates. Exam saboteurs must be punished. The dual education system works well. You don’t downplay the importance of certificates.
Rabana: Our exam mode is not CBT-adaptable.
Rasheed Rabana, an education advocate, asserted that the Nigerian examination system was not flexible enough to accommodate the usage of CBT.
“CBT in the truest sense of the word is not what we have been doing in the past. CBT cannot be adapted to the WAEC and NECO modes of examination. Despite being one of the first universities in the US to integrate computers and cognitive behavioral therapy, Harvard University still administers tests on paper.
“Only the multiple-choice portion of the test can be modified to accommodate CBT”. Exams are being destroyed by us. Putting aside the infrastructure issues, our exams’ format isn’t compatible with CBT, which is the least of our problems.
Some students might be excluded as a result—CONUA
Dr. Niyi Sunmonu, the National President of the Congress of University Academics, or CONUA, expressed the following opinion: “I think the purpose is admirable regarding the direction to move all examinations to computer-based testing, or CBT, by next year.
“” Its goals are to decrease malpractice, increase efficiency, and modernize assessment. But the viability brings up some important issues that need careful thought:
Candidates from underserved or rural places may not have regular access to computers and/or reliable internet connectivity. This raises concerns about equity and accessibility for these candidates. More significantly, they might not be digitally literate enough to use a CBT interface with assurance.
“If a national policy is implemented without addressing these inequities, a sizable portion of the student body may be unfairly disadvantaged or excluded”.
Nature and Pattern of Examination: Although CBT is effective for objective, multiple-choice tests, many academic fields need more intricate evaluation methods, such as technical drawings, essays, problem-solving exercises, or diagrams.
“It is difficult to adapt these forms to common CBT platforms”. A general implementation runs the risk of oversimplifying evaluation and compromising the rigor and depth needed in many domains.
Infrastructure and technical dependability: Many schools and centers’ digital infrastructure is now insufficiently strong to enable widespread, error-free CBT implementation. Problems like power outages, a lack of computer terminals, network (internet) malfunctions, and software bugs could seriously impair the examination’s legitimacy and cause significant disruptions.
In summary, switching to CBT may be a good first step, but it needs to be done carefully, inclusively, and with an open mind about the difficulties that lie ahead. Prior to a full-scale adoption, the emphasis should be on infrastructure development, capacity training, and piloting CBT across appropriate exam types.
Now, it’s not feasible—NAPTAN
Alhaji Haruna Danjuma, the national president of the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria, or NAPTAN, also reviewed the issue and expressed the opinion that such a measure would not be as successful as intended given the state of infrastructure in the nation.
“That isn’t feasible. Will computers be installed in every school? With more than 500 basic education institutions in my state and more than 200 primary schools in my local government, we ought to equip every school with ICT.
If we have facilities in place, what about the electricity needed to run them? How many computer teachers are needed to look after the kids? We have a time bomb on our hands.
Let’s take our time — ASUU
According to Prof. Nassir Adesola, the head of the Academic Staff Union of Universities’ Lagos Zone (ASUU), the nation shouldn’t accept any policy without carefully considering its viability.
“In actuality, there is nothing wrong with CBT; rather, we must examine the reasons behind its adoption. We must be completely conscious of the potential low points and the implications for the integrity of our tests.
Its use modalities include multiple choice, written, hybrid, and the chance for students to express themselves completely. Unlike other keyword-driven programmed grading, this is best appreciated when grading is done by hand.
“It would be wiser to utilize a pilot to identify obstacles and smooth down rough edges before diving in. We must significantly advance our technology in all areas, including software, hardware, electricity, logistics for remote areas, etc., and the human element as well.
The number of students participating would be significantly higher than with UTME. ASUU and other education stakeholders would nevertheless continue to discuss the issue in order to provide the administration with sound advice.
As a litmus test, let’s use JAMB’s UTME: NANS
Before employing CBT for other tests, Comrade Adeyemi Samson Ajasa, National Public Relations Officer of the National Association of Nigerian Students, or NANS, advocated using JAMB’s UTME as a litmus test.
Let’s utilize the UTME from JAMB as a benchmark. How is it doing? In the meantime, keep in mind that the SSCE lasts for a little more than a month, while the UTME is a day exam. Do the facilities exist? Are there CBT centers in each of the nation’s 774 local governments? Assuming we do, keep in mind that the majority of LGs are composed of many communities.
Who will pay for the candidates’ transportation expenses if they wish to take the test? Is it the parents, who are already stressed and unfortunate?
“WAEC and NECO cannot be sufficient, even if they employ the facilities that JAMB now uses and others. The network, power supply, security, and other issues have not been covered. To discuss the suggestion, the government ought to convene a conference of interested parties, such as parents, experts, and students. We must go slowly and with hurry.
Students’ writing abilities will suffer as a result. — Don
According to Dr. Isaac Areo, a former lecturer at the University of Abuja who currently teaches at a university in Rwanda, it would negatively impact pupils’ writing abilities.
For around ten years, I served as the Examination Officer at the University of Abuja. My biggest concern, based on my years of experience, is that CBT will have a detrimental impact on our pupils’ writing abilities.
“” You’ll see that most of our pupils are better speakers than writers if you just try to relate to a few of them. I don’t think it’s possible for any school, public or private, to have enough facilities to accommodate all of the children taking the test on their own grounds.
Who will handle the logistics if some pupils are sent to locations that are most likely far from their schools?
“Computer fear is another problem. In front of a computer, not everyone can feel at ease. Let’s go slowly. CBT may be used for objective questions, while paper exams may still be used for others. The SSCE and the UTME administered by JAMB are two different things.
Educationists believe that it shouldn’t be a policy that is implemented by decree.
Two education experts, Beatrice Aketuamhen and Ariyo Ismail, expressed their opinions regarding the proposed strategy by stating that UTME and SSCE were not the same thing.
“SSCE takes a month or longer, while UTME is only a day exam.” What about logistics, security, and even the electricity needed to run the computers? We are all aware of the current national energy costs. According to Aketuamhen, it is a lengthy process that cannot be completed by decree.
Nigeria, according to Ismail, is not just Lagos and Abuja, and many places lack even the most basic facilities.
“Nigeria is not just Lagos and Abuja. We enjoy copying and pasting. We have a tendency to act. Does every town have the facilities needed for this kind of exercise? “CBT is not the only problem in the education sector,” Ismail stated.
Practicals will be killed.
In a similar vein, Chinedu Ogah, a member of the House of Representatives representing the Ikwo/Ezza South federal district in Ebonyi State, urged the federal government to abandon the proposal to administer the SSCE in CBT mode.
“The problem with our education is that the system has just fallen apart,” he stated. By discussing CBT while there is no network in the hinterlands, we are hurrying things along.
“When it was brought up in the National Assembly, I advised them that we should push the federal government to implement ICT in all elementary and secondary schools if we wish to act morally.
By then, all of our schools offer it as a course. They will familiarize themselves with ICT. They will then steadily upgrade. Network services must have been available in every ward and local government by that time. At that point, you can discuss entering CBT mode.
As a science student, I would like to discuss WAEC’s use of CBT. In order to obtain a result, how will you now integrate titration while combining carbon dioxide with CO2?
How can you use the equation to calculate equilibrium when working on a thesis and bringing in what are known as load, fulcrum, and force?
How can ICT be used in mathematics to solve quadratic equations using the permutation method of quadratic elimination? We talk about things that can’t work, I said. We are destroying education. Our science is being destroyed.
“Science is just useful. Our kids must understand the purpose of practical. And in this country, it is all we have. He remarked, “We think everything is phony and they can’t take us anywhere.”
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