Lawmakers during Thursday’s plenary session where the House directed WAEC to suspend its 2026 computer-based examination plan.
The House of Representatives has directed the Federal Ministry of Education and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to suspend plans to introduce Computer-Based Testing (CBT) for the 2026 school examinations, citing inadequate infrastructure and manpower across schools in Nigeria.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Rep. Kelechi Wogu (PDP, Rivers) during Thursday’s plenary.
“Most schools, especially in rural areas, lack the infrastructure, computers, internet connectivity, and qualified teachers needed to implement a full CBT transition,” Rep. Wogu told lawmakers.
Concerns Over Readiness and Equity
WAEC had earlier announced that from 2026, all candidates sitting for the May/June examinations would take the tests using computers, building on the partial rollout introduced for private candidates in 2024.
However, lawmakers warned that the early implementation could lead to “massive failure, frustration, depression, and even mental health crises” among students who are not yet digitally prepared.
“Computer-based examinations require fully equipped halls with functional systems, reliable internet, and constant electricity—conditions many public schools do not currently meet,” Wogu said.
He recalled that in 2025, the WAEC result portal was temporarily shut down due to “technical glitches,” leaving many candidates distressed.
Legislative Recommendations
The House urged the Federal and State Ministries of Education to make provisions in the 2026–2029 budgets for:
- Recruitment of computer teachers,
- Construction of computer halls with internet facilities,
- Provision of standby generators, and
- Evaluation of schools’ readiness before nationwide rollout.
Lawmakers recommended that the full CBT implementation be deferred until 2030, allowing time for adequate preparation and digital capacity building.
The motion was unanimously adopted, and the House mandated its Committees on Basic Examination Bodies, Digital and Information Technology, Basic Education and Services, and Labour, Employment and Productivity to engage with relevant stakeholders and report back within four weeks.
Education Stakeholders Divided
The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and school administrators, particularly in rural areas, have previously voiced opposition to the planned CBT transition, arguing that most of their schools operate without computers or reliable electricity.
Despite these concerns, WAEC and the Federal Ministry of Education have maintained that computer-based testing represents the future of standardized examinations.
WAEC officials, speaking last month under the campaign slogan “CB-WASSCE: New Way, Same Destination,” said the council had made “significant progress” in the pilot phase and intended to expand the model nationwide by 2026.
Background
About 25,500 schools across Nigeria are expected to present candidates for the 2026 WAEC examinations, which typically run from March to July. Unlike JAMB, WAEC candidates take at least nine subjects, including theory, objectives, and practical components, raising concerns about the technical feasibility of a full digital format.
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