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WAEC’S computer-based testing transition: A call for collective action
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By Adams Adamu
Few institutions command as much influence over the educational destiny of West Africa as the West African Examinations Council (WAEC). For decades, WAEC’s paper-based examinations have served as the gatekeeper to higher education and professional advancement for millions of young people across the sub-region. But as the world accelerates into the digital age, WAEC is considering a transition that could be as historic as it is transformative: the adoption of computer-based testing (CBT).
This is more than an operational adjustment. It is a reform that touches the credibility of our examinations, the pace at which results are delivered, and, most critically, the preparedness of our students for a global economy defined by digital skills. Yet, for this reform to succeed, WAEC cannot walk alone. It requires the committed partnership of governments, schools, parents, and the private sector.
The case for CBT is undeniable. Traditional paper-based exams are vulnerable to leaks, impersonation, and other malpractices that weaken public trust. CBT, by contrast, introduces secure systems that significantly reduce these risks. Beyond integrity, CBT promises efficiency; results that once took weeks to process can now be available in days. This acceleration matters: it removes uncertainty for students and allows institutions to plan admissions with greater accuracy and timeliness.
Moreover, the shift to CBT is not a WAEC experiment in isolation. Across the globe, from GRE and GMAT to IELTS and CISCO certifications, CBT is the accepted norm. West African students, if they are to compete fairly with their peers abroad, must be comfortable in this digital environment. By embedding ICT into the very structure of examinations, we not only test knowledge but also build confidence in technology use, an indispensable skill for the twenty-first century.
Still, no one should pretend the road will be easy. The digital divide threatens to turn this noble reform into a source of exclusion. In rural areas, schools continue to struggle with unreliable power supplies, limited computer access, and inadequate internet connectivity. If left unaddressed, these gaps could deepen inequality, leaving urban students better positioned to thrive while rural students struggle to do so. Teachers and supervisors, many of whom lack advanced ICT skills, will require training. Parents, too, must be reassured that their children will not be disadvantaged by this new system.
This is why the transition must be treated as a national and regional project, not merely a WAEC initiative. Governments, at both national and sub-national levels, must step up to provide the backbone infrastructure: reliable electricity, affordable internet, and ICT-equipped learning environments. Ministries of Education should champion the integration of digital literacy into school curricula, ensuring that students are not meeting computers for the first time in the examination hall.
The private sector, particularly telecommunications providers and technology firms, should view this as an opportunity to invest in the future workforce. Public-private partnerships can establish regional CBT centres, especially in underserved areas, so that no student is left behind because their school lacks resources. Such investments are not acts of philanthropy; they are strategic contributions to building a digitally competent workforce that will power the region’s economies.
Schools must also embrace the shift, moving beyond chalk and talk to digital teaching methods that mirror the realities students will face in the examination hall and the workplace. Training for teachers, exam supervisors, and administrators is non-negotiable. Without confident implementers, even the most sophisticated systems can fail.
Equally important is public confidence. WAEC must not introduce CBT without adequate preparation for the public. Mock tests, sensitisation campaigns, and open channels of communication will be vital in reassuring parents, familiarising students, and building trust. The narrative must be clear: this reform is about empowering students, not excluding them.
The risks of inaction, however, are far greater than the risks of transition. To cling to paper-based examinations is to hold on to a past that no longer serves us. Each year that we delay, West African students fall further behind their global peers. Each year, WAEC’s credibility suffers from avoidable malpractice scandals. Each year, we reinforce a system that denies students the very digital competencies that will define their futures.
The transition to CBT is not simply WAEC’s responsibility. It is our collective responsibility. It demands political will from governments, financial commitment from the private sector, proactive adaptation from schools, and patience and support from parents. If these stakeholders come together, WAEC’s reform could become a turning point in West African education, one that secures examination integrity, accelerates results, and equips our youth with the digital skills they need to lead in a global economy.
History often remembers moments of bold reform. WAEC’s proposed shift to computer-based testing is such a moment. It is an invitation to governments to match rhetoric about digital transformation with tangible action. It is a call to the private sector to invest in the region’s human capital. It is a challenge for schools to embrace innovation, and for parents to view change not as a threat but as an opportunity for their children.
The pen-and-paper system served its time well. But the future belongs to screens, keyboards, and secure digital platforms. If West Africa is to prepare its students for the world they will inherit, now is the time to support WAEC in this bold step forward. Our collective investment today will shape not only the credibility of examinations but the destiny of an entire generation.
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) is preparing to make a historic leap from paper-based examinations to computer-based testing (CBT), a move that promises to strengthen examination integrity, accelerate result processing, and equip students with essential digital skills. The transition is not merely a technical adjustment; it is a reform that aligns West Africa with global standards while preparing its students to compete confidently in an increasingly digital world. However, the success of this shift depends on more than WAEC’s determination; it requires the active participation of governments, schools, parents, and the private sector.
Yet, the challenges are as real as the promise. Unequal access to ICT resources, unreliable electricity, poor internet connectivity, and limited digital competence among teachers threaten to widen the gap between urban and rural learners. Without targeted investment in infrastructure, capacity building, and sensitisation campaigns, the noble ambition of CBT could inadvertently disadvantage those already on the margins. To avoid this, stakeholders must approach the reform as a shared project that strengthens not just examinations but the foundation of West Africa’s education system itself.
WAEC’s proposed transition to CBT is a defining moment for education in the region. To dismiss it is to cling to a past that no longer meets the demands of the future; to embrace it is to invest in a generation equipped for the realities of a digital economy. This reform is not WAEC’s burden alone; it is a collective responsibility that demands political will, corporate investment, institutional innovation, and parental trust. If stakeholders rise to the challenge, CBT will not only secure the credibility of examinations but also unlock the potential of millions of students whose futures depend on a system bold enough to change. The pen-and-paper era has served its purpose; now, the digital era beckons, and West Africa must answer.
● Adamu lives in Abuja.
The Ogun State Government has confirmed that all patients admitted to the State Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, following a recent chemical inhalation incident affecting schools in the town, have been discharged after receiving treatment and being certified medically fit.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, disclosed this during a meeting with parents, guardians, and community members at Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School.
She also noted that the state had activated a medical response protocol to ensure that any patient requiring advanced care at secondary health facilities would be promptly referred to the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital.
According to her, “There were persons admitted at the Ijebu-Ode State Hospital and others at Ijebu-Ife who were affected by the methane emission.
“Altogether, we had adults and children admitted, and I am glad to say that all have been discharged. They are hale and hearty.
“Methane is a non-toxic gas; however, it competes with oxygen which our body and brain need to function properly, and that is why it is of concern to us.”
There was panic in Ijebu Ode on Friday after a suspected gas leakage triggered an air pollution incident that left more than 90 students hospitalised.
The incident occurred barely one month after a similar outbreak was reported in the town.
Students from several schools, including Our Lady of Apostles Girls School, Anglican Girls Grammar School, Ijebu-Ode Grammar School, and Sambadola Private School, were reportedly affected.
Several students were said to have fainted and were rushed to nearby hospitals, with many complaining of abdominal pain and other related symptoms.
A video shared on X by user OMOELERINJARE (@omoelerinjare) showed some victims being carried into an ambulance while distressed parents wept at the scene.
The Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, confirmed the incident in a statement on Friday, revealing that air quality monitoring devices installed in the area detected elevated methane concentrations.
According to him, the monitoring station at Ijebu-Ode Grammar School recorded peak methane readings of about 13,500 parts per million (ppm) in surrounding locations.
“The deployment of the Air Quality Monitoring station at Ijebu Ode Grammar School forms part of the state’s continuous environmental surveillance programme designed to provide early detection of abnormal air quality conditions and support timely public health interventions,” the statement said.
“While the recorded methane concentration is below the lower explosive limit, the level is considered environmentally significant and requires immediate technical investigation and precautionary response.”
Oresanya disclosed that the Ogun State Government had activated a multi-agency environmental and public health assessment team comprising environmental regulators, emergency responders, and air quality experts.
He said the team would determine the source of the emissions, assess the exposure risk, and evaluate the presence of other gases, including hydrogen sulphide and volatile organic compounds.
Residents were advised to remain calm, continue their normal activities, and avoid open flames or ignition sources in areas where unusual gas odours are perceived.
He also urged anyone experiencing symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, nausea, or respiratory discomfort to seek immediate medical attention.
The Senate has condemned the abduction of 87 students and teachers in Borno and Oyo states within 24 hours, describing the incidents as a direct attack on Nigeria’s future.
The upper legislative house, in a statement on Sunday night by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, said the latest wave of kidnappings underscored the urgent need to establish state police as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s security architecture.
Bamidele, who also serves as vice chairman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, called for coordinated and strategic measures to secure schools across the country and tackle the growing crisis of out-of-school children.
Suspected gunmen had on Friday abducted 45 students and teachers from Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, Community Grammar School and L.A Primary School in Esiele, Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Similarly, Boko Haram insurgents attacked Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, abducting 42 students.
Reacting to the incidents, Bamidele described the kidnappings as “a tragic national concern” and vowed that the National Assembly would accelerate efforts to establish state police.
According to him, the 10th National Assembly is already at an advanced stage of amending the 1999 Constitution to pave the way for the creation of state police.
“The process will soon be completed at the National Assembly,” he said.
The lawmaker explained that after the federal legislature concludes work on the proposal, it would be transmitted to the State Houses of Assembly for consideration and approval.
He noted that the constitutional amendment would require the support of at least two-thirds of the state assemblies before state police could become operational.
Bamidele appealed to governors and state lawmakers across the federation to treat the proposal as a matter of national importance rather than subjecting it to partisan or ethno-religious considerations.
He also urged both federal and state governments to fully implement the Safe School Initiative as an interim measure to curb insecurity in schools and reduce the number of out-of-school children, currently estimated at 18.3 million nationwide.
“The incessant abduction of students and teachers is a tragic national concern that negates our national development indices. We cannot and must not allow it to continue,” he said.
“At the National Assembly, we will rise against this trend and put an end to it through the instrumentality of legislation.
“As soon as the National Assembly resumes plenary on June 2, we will perfect all outstanding legislative initiatives introduced to decisively address security challenges in the federation.
“One of such initiatives is the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution that seeks to establish state police, which is now at an advanced stage.
Another is the amendment of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 aimed at strengthening the system of consequences in the country’s justice sector and discouraging heinous crimes nationwide.”
A major political shift has emerged in Jigawa State as four-term House of Representatives member, Sa’idu Yusuf Miga, lost his return ticket in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Miga, who represents the Jahun/Miga Federal Constituency, was dropped during Saturday’s primaries, bringing an end to his long tenure in the National Assembly after nearly two decades in federal politics.
He first entered the House of Representatives in 2003 under the NNPP before joining the APC during the 2014 political realignment that led to the party’s rise to power in 2015. He went on to win re-election in 2015, 2019, and 2023.
However, despite his long service, growing dissatisfaction among constituents is believed to have contributed to his defeat in the party primaries.
Residents and youth groups had repeatedly accused him of poor representation, limited constituency projects, and weak legislative output since the start of the 10th National Assembly.
Earlier this month, youths under the group “Jahun Ina Muka Dosa” staged a peaceful protest, urging the APC leadership to replace him with a more active representative.
The protesters, led by youth leaders including Shamsu Sulaiman Alafin, Nura Wada, and Comrade Muhammad Khamisu Harbo, submitted their complaints to the APC leadership and Governor Umar Namadi.
Following the primaries, the APC presented Umar Imam as the party’s new candidate for the Jahun/Miga Federal Constituency.
Political observers say the outcome reflects increasing voter demand for accountability and performance-driven representation, with constituents now prioritising visible development impact over long-term incumbency.
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