WAEC & NECO Going CBT? Stakeholders Say It’s a Misplaced Priority!

Concerns have been raised by certain education sector stakeholders regarding the federal government’s plan to guarantee a complete switch from paper-and-pencil to computer-based testing for all exams administered by the National Examination Council (NECO), the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), and the National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB), among others.

They noted that WAEC, NECO, and other public examination boards should reconsider the direction from Education Minister Dr. Olatunji Alausa to completely switch from paper-and-pencil to computer-based exams by 2026, since it is an inappropriate priority.

They contend that if Nigeria is serious about fairness, equity, and balance, the government must address issues like poor infrastructure, unstable electricity, poor Internet connectivity, inadequate teacher and student preparation, and limited computer access, particularly in rural areas, before enacting such a policy.

Remember how Alausa mandated in April that WAEC, NECO, and NABTEB implement complete CBT for all of their exams by 2026? The regulation states that exam organizations should start using CBT to deliver objective papers in November and that full adoption, including both essay and objective components, should start in May or June 2026.

The minister expressed optimism that all exams administered by WAEC, NECO, and NABTEB, among others, would have completely switched from paper-and-pencil to computer-based testing by 2026. However, he cautioned that there would be no justifications for the policy’s implementation, which he said would end the nation’s hydra-headed monster of exam malpractice.

Professor Is-haq Oloyede, the registrar and chief executive of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), is the chairman of a high-level group that Alausa established to improve the quality of exams in Nigeria in order to accomplish the ambitious goal.

After more than five months of work, the 17-member group presented the minister with its interim report, which supported the government’s suggestion that all exams be conducted entirely online by 2026.

The members of the group, who were professionals in test administration and education, made comprehensive suggestions to tackle the problem of exam fraud and make the switch to computer-based testing by 2026.

However, stakeholders continue to express concern about Nigeria’s preparedness, especially students who would probably be impacted by the policy’s hurried implementation.

Some stakeholders who spoke to Nigerian Tribune cautioned that it would be incorrect and counterproductive to compare the final year external examination administered by WAEC, NECO, and others with the selection exam administered by JAMB, the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), which consists solely of multiple-choice questions.

While a high degree of digital literacy is not required to answer objective questions, it is for the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE), according to Dr. Solomon Udah, Executive Director, Education Rights Initiative (ERI). To be able to respond to the questions in the given time frame and a reasonable manner, the theory or essay portion of the SSCE would require extensive digital abilities.

He pointed out that because they would not have access to computers and other digital resources, pupils from rural areas and villages would be at a disadvantage. He said that the claim that kids have phones is untrue.

“Unfortunately, the majority of analyses of candidates’ exceptional performance in public exams in Nigeria are typically based on candidates who live in cities and towns, leaving out students from rural communities who lack access to modern infrastructure, such as computers, electricity, Android phones, libraries, and, most importantly, qualified teachers who are prepared to teach them the skills they need to compete with their city counterparts,” he said.

Additionally, Comrade Audu Amba, President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), disputed the Federal Government’s assertions that test misconduct will be eradicated by WAEC and NECO’s switch to computer-based exams.

The NUT president noted that the emphasis on paper credentials is the main issue with the country’s educational system, which is promoting malpractices.

He claims that because society only accepts grades and diplomas, pupils will go above and beyond to obtain them, often with parental help, even if they are unable to defend them.

“Certificates are now given more weight. What grade do you have? What are your scores? Disregarding that student’s intellectual prowess.

He declared, “The students will make every effort to ensure that they receive the grades necessary to receive the certificate.”

Amba also emphasized that before enacting such a policy, the digital literacy gap between instructors and kids must be addressed, which may call for more resources and training initiatives.

The NUT president reiterated that many things needed to be addressed first and in time before it could get to a level of CBT introduction.

The president of NUT reaffirmed that before CBT is introduced, a number of issues must be resolved first and promptly.

He asserts that in order to improve the education system for the benefit of both the kids and the country, pertinent parties must cooperate.

Adeolu Ogunbanjo, the chairman of the National Parent-Teacher Association of Nigeria’s Board of Trustees, proposed that before considering a CBT transition, the federal government should require WAEC and NECO to set up at least one CBT center in each of the 774 local government areas.

Although the examination organizations could establish such centers separately or in tandem, he cautioned that the policy’s implementation would result in widespread failures and pointed out that the timescale was too short to accomplish this before the 2026 deadline.

Ogunbanjo emphasized the necessity of backup systems at all CBT centers and voiced worries regarding the inconsistent power supply.

“We can’t finish this till next year. It should be moved to 2027, in my opinion. To guarantee that no kid is left out, adequate preparation is essential. WAEC and NECO are unable to depend on the CBT facilities that JAMB currently uses.

And then there’s the backup problem. We are all aware of the nation’s electricity issue. Reliable backup power is essential for CBT centers to prevent outages. It would be embarrassing for a regional organization like WAEC if students were writing exams with lights or torches; thus, such circumstances must be avoided, he stated.