The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has said that the transition to computer-based examinations by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) will not put an end to examination malpractices in the country.
The NUT National President, Audu Amba, stated this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja. He was reacting to the recent directive by the Federal Government that WAEC and NECO should fully adopt Computer-Based Testing (CBT) for their examinations by 2026.
According to the directive, both multiple-choice and essay questions in WAEC and NECO examinations will be administered via computer starting from the May/June 2026 examination cycle. WAEC is expected to commence CBT for objective exams in November 2025.
The Minister of State for Education, Tunji Alausa, who made the announcement, said the move would improve examination efficiency and reduce the incidence of malpractice.
Audu Amba, however, expressed skepticism. He noted that the focus on paper qualifications and certificates remains the root of examination malpractices in Nigeria.
He said that because society places a high value on grades and certificates, students are often driven—sometimes with parental support—to obtain qualifications they cannot defend.
“We have placed more emphasis on certificate. What is your grade? What is your score? Not minding the intellectual intelligence of that student,” Amba said.
“The students will go out of their ways to make sure that they get the marks that will give them the certificate.”
He further emphasized the need to address the issue of digital literacy among both students and teachers before fully implementing the CBT policy. According to him, this would require comprehensive training and sufficient resources.
“We are talking about CBT exams. Where is the light, manpower and network? We have a long way to go. How many of our teachers in rural areas are even computer literate? You can’t sit in the city and make a directive that cannot be implemented.”
“In my village, for instance, the network ceases. You can’t get it until you move to a particular place. There are some students who have not seen a computer before, not to talk of operating one,” he added.
Amba reiterated that several foundational issues must be resolved before the CBT model can be successfully adopted. He urged relevant stakeholders to work together in addressing these concerns to improve the quality of education in the country.
According to him, collaboration is necessary to create an education system that works effectively for both students and the nation.
