WAEC Confident Of Successful CBT Examination

Concerns about the failure of the computer-based writing approach for the West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WAEC) have been dispelled by the Head of National Office, West African Examination Council, Amos Dangut.

While appearing on the TVC Breakfast show on Monday, Dangut shared his thoughts on the suggested CBT paradigm, assuring Nigerians that the adoption of CBT mode of examination for WAEC would be successful.

Naija News recalls that the West African Examinations Council announced in September 2023 that preparations to switch to a computer-based test format for administering exams were advanced in planning.

While speaking on the innovation, Dangut explained that the computer-based test mode has come to stay because everything has been put in place to ensure its success.

He said there was no need to worry because the examining body had looked into every possible way to make sure innovation served its purpose.

Dangut pointed out that the implementation of the CBT test method would significantly reduce, if not completely eradicate, the long-standing problem of exam malpractice.

He said, “You’re wondering how and why it took us this long to come to this point. Everything is dynamic in life, there’s a time for everything, and now is the time for us to be compliant, and to be where the world is.

“The world today is on the technology lane, particularly in the field of examination, computer-based examination. In our case, it is the WASSCE that we offer. We have taken all these while to get adequately prepared.

“As we speak today, we have tried the system and it has worked. I can say that we have done the basic preparation which includes the trial tests, and we have tried it with the candidates. We have secured state-of-the-art studios that will give us the necessary backing to have seamless conduct of examinations, all the examination operatives (the supervisors and invigilators) have been adequately trained.

“We have also done a lot of mobilisation and sensitisation. From tomorrow (January 23), there is an avenue for candidates to go online into the examination environment, try hands-on and see how it would be, just to allay all anxieties, worries and fears.”

He added that the examination body is aware of fears and scepticism that the innovation is built to fail. He further cleared that contrary to widespread speculations, the syllabus for the examination remains the same.