WAEC Sets 2026 Deadline for Fully Computer-Based WASSCE
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) reaffirmed its commitment to shifting the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) to a computer-based format by 2026. They assured parents, schools, and candidates that no student will be left out during this transition.
Hajiya Binta Abdulkadir, Chairman of the Nigeria National Committee (NNC) of WAEC, shared this news during the inauguration of the 63rd annual committee meeting in Umuahia, Abia State. She noted that WAEC has achieved a milestone by becoming the first examining body in Nigeria to conduct a Computer-Based WASSCE (CB-WASSCE) for school candidates, after successfully launching it for private candidates last year.
She acknowledged that the federal government’s requirement for full CB-WASSCE implementation by 2026 has raised some concerns. However, the council is working closely with the Ministry of Education to ensure a smooth national transition.
“We assure you that no candidate taking this exam will be left out,” she said. “We have started training senior secondary students to use tablets and digital styluses to write essays.”
In response to concerns about recent changes to the federal curriculum, Abdulkadir clarified that students will not face restrictions on their subject choices across different groups.
“Students in science can choose economics as an elective,” she explained, adding that WAEC has extended the deadline for submitting Continuous Assessment Scores (CASS) and advised schools to conduct at least three assessments for each student.
She also revealed that the council has stepped up efforts against examination malpractice by collaborating with security agencies and by implementing paper serialization, which was very effective during the 2025 WASSCE for school candidates.
Abia State Governor Dr. Alex Otti encouraged NNC members to create policies and initiatives that would improve the integrity of examination systems.
Otti, who opened the meeting, praised WAEC for its proactive steps to strengthen examination credibility, especially with recent policies aimed at maintaining assessment integrity nationwide.
The governor, represented by Elder Goodluck Ubochi, the State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, called WAEC’s anti-examination malpractice efforts “timely, brave, and essential for protecting our youth’s future.”
He assured participants that his administration would continue to support initiatives that promote honesty, discipline, and fairness in schools.
The governor noted that this meeting allows Abia to demonstrate its achievements in education.
He said, “It’s a story of change based on careful planning, steady reforms, and strong commitment to developing a competitive generation of learners while being rooted in local contexts.”
“It also showcases our state’s unwavering commitment to quality education, standardized evaluation, and our ongoing pursuit of excellence.”
In earlier comments, Dr. Amos Josiah Dangut, Head of the Nigeria National Office, reiterated that WAEC, now in its 73rd year, is committed to providing trustworthy examinations and supporting national educational goals despite ongoing challenges.
He described the NNC as WAEC’s key policy-making body in Nigeria, responsible for creating and implementing the council’s policies nationwide.
He pointed out that the committee is made up of experienced and respected Nigerians who ensure its operations serve the public’s best interests.
He mentioned that the NNC meeting rotates annually among Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT, noting that this year’s choice of Abia State was made at the last meeting in Kaduna.
“Today, we are pleased to hold the 63rd meeting of the Committee in God’s Own State,” he commented.
The event included the National Distinction/Merit Award for the top three WASSCE candidates of 2024. Additionally, the three best-performing schools in Abia State for the 2024 WASSCE received the WAEC Endowment Fund Book Prize of $5,000. The best overall male and female students were awarded the Omo N’Oba Erediauwa Coronation trophy.
Other awards included the WAEC/Vatebra Merit Awards for outstanding public secondary school students, each of whom received a check for N2,500,000.
WAEC staff members who have served for 20 years were also honored.
Master Qoreebullah Olamilekan Ajisafe, a former student of Eamaan Foundation College in Odun State and now studying medicine and surgery at the Federal University of Health Sciences, Ila-Orangun, was named the top WASSCE performer for 2024. He achieved distinctions in all 8 subjects with a total T-score of 580.8535.
Ajisafe, who tested under number 4300927/009, received A1 grades in marketing, civic education, English language, mathematics, agriculture, biology, chemistry, and physics. He attributed his success to a complete overhaul of his study habits following a disappointing UTME result.
“I scored 287 in the UTME, which I considered really low,” he said. “I thought the JAMB exam would be easy, so I didn’t take my study routine seriously. When the results came out, I was unhappy. That moment pushed me to completely change my study methods, my circle of friends, and how I managed my time.”
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