By Esther Kainebi-Daniel
The management of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has adopted the Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode in the conduct of the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).
This was contained in a statement released on Monday, November 13, by the Public Affairs Unit of the examination council and signed by its acting head, Moyosola Adesina.
According to Adesina, advancements in technology have necessitated the WAEC management decision to adopt the CBT mode in the conduct of the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).
“In line with global best practices, the Nigeria National Office of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) wishes to inform the general public, and all its stakeholders, that it has concluded plans to migrate its WASSCE for Private Candidates Examination Diets from Paper and Pencil Test to Computer Based Examination (CBE),” part of the statement read.
The new innovation according to the statement, will kick off in February 2024, with the conduct of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for private candidates.
Unlike the Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) which migrated the conduct of its annual Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) – the entrance examination into Nigerian tertiary institutions – to the CBT mode long ago, WAEC had consistently cited the nature of its examination and especially the number of subjects and practicals involved as part of the impediments.
The 72-year-old examination body, the oldest in the West African sub-region has consistently maintained its integrity as its results are accepted by global institutions for admission and other opportunities.
Since its establishment, the examination body had adopted the Paper-Pencil Test mode to conduct its examinations, and has done that consistently for more than 70 years. It had over the years, consistently cited the nature of its examination and especially the number of subjects and practicals involved as part of the impediments.
On the modalities for the new method of assessment, WAEC said, “while the ‘Objective Tests’ will be fully computer-based, the ‘Essay and Test of Practical’ papers will be hybrid. The examination questions will be delivered on screen and candidates required to write answers on the answer booklets given to them.
“Furthermore, the examination will be conducted in urban centres/cities and candidates with special needs have been factored into the plan. Registration for the examination will commence on Monday, December 18, 2023,” the statement also read.
The examination body has, therefore, promised to hold a mock examination so that willing candidates can familiarise themselves with the new examination platform.
It said the trial examination would be conducted before the commencement of the main examination, and has advised the prospective candidates to “hone their computer skills and be fully prepared to embrace this innovation.”
“As Africa’s foremost examining body, providing qualitative and reliable educational assessment, encouraging academic and moral excellence, it is the vision of the Council that in the near future, all its examinations will be delivered via the computer,” the statement further read.
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