A wave of frustration is sweeping across Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) as students mount fresh criticism against the institution’s Computer-Based Testing (CBT) system, which they allege has become a recurring academic nightmare. From undergraduates to alumni, voices are growing louder, calling for a total overhaul—or outright cancellation—of the system many claim has consistently failed them.
During a recent visit by The Nigeria Education News to the Ogbomoso campus, students from various departments shared experiences that painted a disturbing picture of an examination method that appears riddled with glitches and inefficiencies. They say the CBT exams have become a source of trauma rather than a test of knowledge.
Ganiyat Adesola, a 300-level student in the Department of Agricultural Extension, described her first experience with CBT as “a war zone.” She said, “I studied harder than I ever had in my life, but when the results came out, it felt like all my efforts went into the dustbin. I failed, and I wasn’t alone. Almost the entire class did.” She believes the issue lies not in student preparation but in the faulty technical implementation of the exams.
“The software is full of errors. Some questions don’t load properly. Sometimes, your answers disappear. I remember selecting an answer and watching the system freeze,” Adesola added, her tone tinged with a mix of frustration and disbelief. She wants the school management to “scrap the CBT entirely or fix it urgently.”
Tolulope Favour, a 200-level student from the Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, echoed a similar sentiment. “What’s the point of preparing so well when the result is determined by a malfunctioning system?” she asked. “Many of us are watching our CGPAs drop—not because we don’t read, but because the CBT system keeps failing us.”
For first-year students like Rebecca, currently studying Mass Communication, the fear of CBT has become paralyzing. “I’ve not even written mine, but I’m scared. Everyone I’ve met talks about how bad it is. Some say the computer logs you out before time ends or fails to submit answers.”
The chorus of discontent is not limited to current students. Dupe Omololu, an alumna of LAUTECH who graduated in 2018, shared that her experience with CBT wasn’t any different. Now a vendor near the Under G area of the school, she said, “I failed a course I knew inside out. It wasn’t until later I found out the problem came from a system error. This isn’t new. It’s a cycle.”
Victoria Olayinka, a recent graduate from the Department of Microbiology, recounted how a single CBT exam left a permanent scar on her academic record. “Throughout 200 level, I had mostly As and Bs—except one course I had a carryover in, thanks to CBT. That carryover cost me a distinction.”
A number of students have also raised issues beyond the examination format, pointing to infrastructural deficits that make studying especially difficult. “How are we supposed to prepare for exams when we barely have light?” one student, who requested anonymity, questioned. “We read with rechargeable lamps or candles. It’s not safe, and it’s not right.”
The power issue, they say, exacerbates the problems with CBT exams. “Imagine entering an exam hall with your brain cooked from heat and sleep deprivation because there’s no power on campus. Then the system crashes midway through your test. How do you even survive that emotionally?” asked Tolulope.
Some students argue that LAUTECH, being the only university of technology in Oyo State, should be a leader in digital learning innovations. “If a tech-based university can’t run its CBT platform efficiently, what does that say about the quality of its training and future engineers?” asked Babajide Akinfenwa, an indigene of Ogbomoso who attended a recent student debate forum.
Faculty members declined to comment officially when approached, but one officer from the faculty of Agriculture, speaking off the record, admitted that the concerns were not new. “Every year, we receive reports of these CBT issues, but little seems to change. It’s frustrating for the students, and it’s frustrating for us too.”
Some students are proposing a return to the traditional pen-and-paper exams until a robust and error-free CBT infrastructure can be guaranteed. “We’re not anti-technology,” said Rebecca. “But this version of CBT is not technology; it’s chaos in disguise.
Despite the mounting pressure, many fear that without external intervention or media scrutiny, the status quo may persist. “That’s why we’re speaking to the press now,” said Ganiyat. “Maybe this will finally make them listen.”
As LAUTECH students continue to voice their grievances, one message remains consistent: the need for fairness, accuracy, and respect for their academic efforts. Until then, many say they will continue to approach CBT exams with more fear than confidence—and with little hope that their efforts will reflect in their grades.
