WAEC to conduct first-ever computer-based test for about two million candidates

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has announced that a total of 1.97 million candidates will participate in Nigeria’s first-ever Computer-Based Test (CBT) version of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates.

This marks a significant expansion from its initial implementation for private candidates in 2024, where 8,285 individuals participated in the first series of the computer-based examination.

Head of the Nigeria National Office of WAEC, Amos Dangut, disclosed this during a press briefing held at the council’s national office in Yaba, Lagos, on Thursday.

Mr Dangut said the maiden edition of the CBT WASSCE would be held between Thursday, 24 April and Friday, 20 June, across the country.

He revealed that the exam will involve 1,973,253 students from 23,554 schools nationwide. Of this number, 979,228 are males (49.63 per cent) while 994,025 are females (50.37 per cent), indicating a continuing rise in female participation.

The examination will feature 74 subjects and 196 papers, with over 26,000 senior secondary school teachers engaged as supervisors nationwide.

Need for CBT

According to Mr Dangut, the digital exams are aimed at improving the integrity of the assessment process and combating widespread malpractice.

“It will interest you to know that from this year, two candidates will not have the same questions on each number. We have adopted this innovation for some of the WASSCE codes,” he said.

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“This initiative is part of the paradigm shift in the education sector, particularly the adoption of current test administration techniques geared towards upholding the academic and moral integrity of the National Policy on Education and in line with the vision of the Federal Ministry of Education.”

Mr Dangut also revealed that the council has revoked the licences of 574 schools that were found guilty of examination malpractices.

Security, crackdown on malpractice

Mr Dangut acknowledged past security challenges that disrupted examinations in parts of the country but noted that WAEC is working closely with the Nigeria Police Force and state governments to ensure a smooth and hitch-free examination process.

“Conducting examinations in such situations has been challenging, though surmounted,” he said.

The council also warned candidates, supervisors, and schools to comply strictly with examination regulations.

Mr Dangut emphasised that the 2025 examination would feature pre-printed paper variations unique to each candidate.

“Any candidate who chooses to write a paper other than the one assigned will bear the consequences,” he warned.

He also cautioned against the patronage of rogue websites and assured that WAEC would continue to partner with the police to clamp down on those behind such platforms.

Digital support for candidates

To support students in preparing for the new exam format, WAEC has introduced several digital learning tools, including the WAEC E-Study Portal, WAEC E-Learning Portal, and WAEC Konnect.

These platforms provide access to past questions, marking schemes, performance analysis, and direct updates for candidates and stakeholders.

“WAEC has also compiled past question papers and chief examiners’ reports for various subjects to help candidates understand expectations and improve performance,” he added.

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Result, certification timeline

The council assured that the results of the 2025 WASSCE would be released 45 days after the conclusion of the exam.

Candidates will be able to access digital copies of their certificates within 90 days via the WAEC Digital Certificate platform.

Mr Dangut reaffirmed WAEC’s commitment to conducting a “credible examination” in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Education, state ministries, security agencies, and other stakeholders.