The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has shifted the commencement of its Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE) in full computer-based (CBT) mode to 2027, rather than 2026, as previously directed by the Federal Government.
The 2026 May/June WASSCE will still be a test run pilot of the full-CBT format, with students having the option of sitting for their papers in either CBT or paper-and-pen format. This decision was announced by the Chairman of Nigeria National Committee (NNC) of WAEC, Hajia Binta Abdulkadir, at the opening session of this year’s Annual Meeting of NNC (63rd edition) in Umuahia, Abia State.
According to Abdulkadir, WAEC is aware of concerns raised by stakeholders regarding the federal government’s directive to migrate to full-CBT by 2026. She assured that no candidate sitting the 2026 WASSCE will be disenfranchised in any form.
The council has been making efforts towards a smooth migration to full-CBT mode, including training senior school students on the pilot test of using tablets and digital style in responding to Essay Questions on a computer. Abdulkadir emphasized that science students are not barred from taking Economics as an elective to complete their subject selection.
The period for Continuous Assessment Scores (CASS) uploading has been extended for accurate capturing of CASS for candidates taking new subjects in line with the Federal Government’s approved list for the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2026.
WAEC has also reviewed the Basic and Secondary School Curricula, ensuring that no candidate is restricted from registering subjects from other subject groups or distinct elective fields.
At the event, WAEC honored the top three candidates in its 2024 school-based May/June exam and the two overall best special students, who are visually impaired, and some other category winners.
Master Ajisafe Qoreebullah Olamilekan, a student of Eemaan Foundation College, Osogbo, Osun State, was the overall best in the exam nationwide and was honored with the WAEC’s National Distinction Award.
The decision to shift the full CBT exam to 2027 is aimed at ensuring a smooth transition and addressing concerns raised by stakeholders. WAEC is committed to providing a fair and accessible examination process for all candidates ¹.
The council’s efforts are part of the Federal Government’s plan to migrate all examinations to computer-based testing (CBT) by 2027, as announced by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa ².
