SSCE:WAEC Adopts Computer-Based Test, CBT

The West African Examination Council, WAEC, announced Monday that it will henceforth conduct the Senior School Certificate Examination, SSCE, using the Computer Based Test, CBT, mode. 

The announcement, contained in a statement released by its Public Affairs Unit and issued by acting head, Moyosola Adesina, also disclosed that the new innovation will begin with February 2024 West African Secondary School Certificate Examination, WASSCE, for private candidates.

“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).”

WAEC explained that while the objective tests will be fully computer-based, both the essay and practicals will be hybrid. Under the latter, examination questions will be displayed on the computer screen with candidates required to write their answers on the booklets given to them. 

WAEC added that the examination will be conducted in urban centres/cities where candidates with special needs would also be adequately factored in as part of the plan.

It noted that registration will commence on Monday, December 18, 2023 and that first examination will be preceded by a mock examination to familiarise candidates with the new examination model.

It therefore urged the candidates to fine tune their computer skills in order to be fully ready for the change. 

“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,” WAEC wrote.

Until now, WAEC, the oldest examination body in West Africa, conducted its examinations using the Paper-Pencil Test mode without compromising its integrity. It insisted that the delay in adopting the CBT mode is due, in the main, to the nature of its examination, particularly on account of 7the number of subjects and practicals involved. 

It would be recalled that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, adopted the CBT mode for the conduct of its Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, several years ago.