From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Federal Government has announced the plans to complete the migration of O’ Level examinations conducted by National Examinations Council (NECO) and West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to Computer-Based Test (CBT) platform in three years time.
Boriowo Folasade, Director, Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Education, in a statement, indicated that Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed the development at a meeting with the officials of JAMB, NECO, WAEC, and the Director of Senior Secondary Education, in Abuja.
She said the Minister emphasized government’s unwavering stance on zero tolerance for examination malpractices, asserting the need to protect the sanctity of all examinations.
To this end, the Minister constituted a committee to address key issues, including examination leakages, identity theft, fraud, and improving supervision, and the committee will be formally inaugurated in January 2025.
She also emphasized the government’s commitment to upholding the integrity of high-stakes, and achievement examination conducted by NECO and WAEC, as well as placement exams administered by JAMB.
She added: “One of the key decisions at the meeting was the transition of all examinations (achievement and placement) into a CBT platform within the next three years, ensuring a more secure and efficient examination process.
“This is a significant step towards building a robust and credible examination system for Nigeria. We are moving swiftly to protect the future of our education system and ensure that our students’ achievements are recognized fairly and accurately.”
Speaking on the issue of examination malpractice, Minister of State for Education, Dr. Suwaiba Ahmad, expressed deep concern about the prevalence of such unethical practices in Nigeria’s educational system.
She highlighted alarming practices such as students pooling funds to access leaked answers via WhatsApp, and schools bribing officials to enable cheating.
Dr. Ahmad emphasized that these acts undermine the credibility of assessments and compromise the moral and academic development of students.
She reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to enforcing strict measures to combat examination malpractice, ensure accountability, and uphold the integrity of the nation’s examination system.
She called on all stakeholders to work together in restoring fairness and transparency.