WAEC Says CBT Reduces Exam Malpractice as 56,000 Sit Private WASSCE

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) says computer-based testing is helping to curb examination malpractice, as more than 56,000 candidates sit the 2026 Second Series West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for Private Candidates across Nigeria.

WAEC Head of National Office in Nigeria, Suleiman Danlami Kum, disclosed this during an inspection of the English Language examination at the council’s Training and Testing Centre in Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos.

Danlami said more than 22,000 candidates registered for the examination in Lagos, including about 50 walk-in candidates who registered to sit the English Language paper after the regular registration period.

He attributed the improvement in examination integrity to computer-based testing and tighter screening procedures designed to prevent candidates from taking prohibited materials into examination halls.

“CBT has come to stay,” Danlami said, describing the system as a more efficient way to conduct examinations and reduce opportunities for malpractice.

He explained that officials searched candidates before they entered the examination hall, removing prohibited items where necessary. During the inspection, he said, officials found an item concealed in a candidate’s socks.

“We don't set a trap for them. We want to prevent it,” he said, stressing that the measures were intended to stop malpractice before an examination begins.

WAEC introduced computer-based WASSCE examinations in 2024 and, according to Danlami, has continued to improve the process. He said candidates were adapting well to the technology, including using computer functions to enlarge questions on their screens.

On concerns that some schools charge as much as ₦180,000 for examination registration, Danlami said the Federal Ministry of Education was working to address arbitrary increases in fees charged by schools. He noted, however, that WAEC had yet to release the entries for the examination in question.

He also urged candidates to prepare thoroughly, recommending WAEC past questions, marking schemes and chief examiners’ reports to help them understand examination requirements and improve their performance.