By 2026, students will no longer use pen and paper for WAEC and NECO examinations, as the Federal Government plans to switch to computer-based testing.
The Minister of State for Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, revealed this on Monday during an inspection of the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in Bwari, Abuja. He was accompanied by officials of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
Dr Alausa explained that both WAEC and NECO would begin using computers for multiple-choice questions starting this November. He added that by May/June 2026, both objective and essay papers would be fully computer-based.
“If JAMB can successfully conduct CBT exams for more than 2.2 million candidates, WAEC and NECO can do the same,” he said.
“We are going to get WAEC and NECO to also start their objective exam on CBT. By 2026, exams, which will come up in May/June, both the objectives and the essay will be fully on CBT. That is how we can eliminate exam malpractices.”
The Minister also shared that a committee is currently reviewing examination standards across the country, with a report expected next month.
Meanwhile, JAMB’s Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, who also spoke during the inspection, cleared the air on the exam timetable. He said UTME exams have always started at 8:00 a.m., and candidates are only asked to arrive early for accreditation.
“We have always started our exams at 8 o’clock. The first session is at 8 o’clock, the second at 10:30 a.m., the third at 1:00 p.m., and the fourth at 3:30 p.m.,” Prof. Oloyede clarified.
He also dismissed complaints about candidates being posted to centres they did not select, insisting that investigations found no such cases.
Prof. Oloyede confirmed that over 1.6 million out of the 2.03 million registered candidates had already completed their exams, with only about 50,000 candidates left to write.
The government’s move to modernise examinations is being hailed as a step towards curbing malpractice and boosting credibility in Nigeria’s education system.
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