The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has reiterated its commitment to adopt computer-based testing (CBT) for all West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) starting in 2026.
Dr. Amos Dangut, WAEC’s Head of National Office, restated this on Tuesday during a sensitisation session with members of the National Assembly Committee on Education in Abuja.
According to him, the gradual switch, which kicked off with private candidates in 2024, has recorded “significant progress” and will be expanded nationwide before the 2026 deadline.
“We have conducted five exams already, one for private candidates and one for school candidates, and by 2026, deployment will be massive,” Dangut explained.
ALSO READ
He addressed concerns about poor infrastructure and cyber risks, assuring that WAEC had already conducted CBT examinations in remote locations without hitches.
He further revealed that students’ outcomes in CBT were “empirically better” compared to the traditional paper-based system.
In 2024, WAEC discontinued the use of paper and pencil for private candidates’ SSCE and adopted the CBT format. Building on that, the body is now preparing to extend the system to all school candidates.
The Federal Government had earlier announced, on July 22, 2025, that CBT centres owned by private operators as well as public institutions would be utilised for the school-based examinations from 2026.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, while commenting on the development, said, “WAEC and NECO exams are school-based exams being conducted at their schools. No, we will move away from that.
“It is going to be like (the way) JAMB exams are being conducted at CBT centres. We have thousands of CBT centres across the nation.
“Those are the centres that we are going to use. It’s not the case that students do not have the facilities. Schools do not have the facilities.”
