This was disclosed by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, on Monday while monitoring the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) alongside officials of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in Bwari, Abuja.
According to Dr. Alausa, WAEC and NECO will commence the CBT format for objective papers from November 2024, with full adoption for both objective and essay components by 2026.
"If JAMB can successfully conduct CBT exams for more than 2.2 million candidates, WAEC and NECO can do the same. We are going to get WAEC and NECO to also start their objective exam on CBT," he said.
The Minister stressed that this transition is critical to curbing examination malpractice and ensuring the credibility of public examinations.
"By 2026, exams which will come up in May/June, both the objectives and the essay will be fully on CBT. That is how we can eliminate exam malpractices," Alausa added.
Nationwide Examination Standards Under Review
Dr. Alausa also revealed that a committee has been established to review national examination standards.
The committee’s recommendations are expected to be submitted by next month, signaling wider reforms within Nigeria’s education system.
JAMB Clarifies Early Exam Schedules
During the monitoring exercise, JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, addressed concerns about early examination times.
He clarified that JAMB’s UTME has always scheduled its first session for 8:00 a.m., with accreditation starting from 6:30 a.m. to ensure a smooth process.
"We have always started our exams at 8 o’clock. The first session is 8 o’clock, second session 10:30, third session 1 p.m., and fourth session 3:30 p.m.," Oloyede explained.
He emphasized that early arrival was essential for proper candidate screening and smooth operations.
Centre Allocation and Malpractice Updates
Oloyede dismissed allegations that candidates were posted to centers they did not select, noting that investigations found no evidence of such issues.
He also provided updates on the ongoing UTME:
- Over 1.6 million candidates out of 2.03 million registered have already completed their exams.
- About 50,000 candidates are yet to write their exams.
- More than 40 candidates have been arrested for offenses such as impersonation and smuggling of exam questions using hidden cameras.
- Over 41,000 registered candidates were found to be underage.
The government’s push toward CBT for WAEC and NECO represents a major shift in Nigeria’s examination landscape, with an eye on boosting integrity, efficiency, and aligning with global best practices.