By: Gloria Essien Abuja
The House of Representatives has directed the Federal Ministry of Education and the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, to suspend the commencement of the Computer-Based Test policy for the 2026 Examination.
The House also urged the Federal Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the states, to include in the 2026 budgets 2027, 2028, and 2029 the recruitment of computer teachers, construction of computer halls with internet facilities, and supply of standby generators, and also monitor adequate provisions in private schools before commencement of the policy in 2030.
This resolution was a sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance on the “Need for intervention to avert the pending massive failure of candidates intending to write the 2026 West African Examination Council using computer-based examinations CBT capable of causing depression and deaths of students,” sponsored by Mr. Kelechi Wogu on Thursday at plenary.
Leading the debate on the motion, Mr.. Wogu said that WAEC is a body saddled with the conduct of higher education entry examinations for students of senior secondary schools.
He also noted that higher education institutions have made it mandatory for any candidates seeking admission to have at least five credits, including English and Mathematics, in the West African Examination Council WAEC.
He said that the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination Result portal was shut down due to what “they call technical glitches” with the candidates suffering the consequences.
Mr. Wogu expressed worry that the Federal Ministry of Education planned to conduct the 2026 West African Senior Secondary School Examination scheduled to commence in March that same year, using the Computer-Based Test (CBT), and that despite the outcry by the National Union of Teachers and Heads of Schools, both public and private, especially those in a rural areas hosting over 70 percent of students, the Federal Ministry of Education has declared that there is no going back.
“The House is cognisant that computer-based examination requires a fully furnished hall with functional computers, internet facility, constant electricity supply, be it from the national grid or standby generator.
“The house is aware that about 25,500 schools across the country have candidates to write the 2026 examination expected to be conducted in all the schools at the same time for four months starting from March to July.
“The House is also aware that most of the schools in the urban areas and in the rural areas do not have functional computers nor computer teachers and as a result they have not used computers before.
“We are further aware that unlike JAMB, no candidate is expected to write less than nine subjects including practical objectives and theory”, he stated.
He said that the lawmaker is worried that, “it is wrong to start this policy now without adequate preparation suggesting that the Federal Ministry of Education, WAEC should have at least three years projection to commence the policy by 2029-2030 academic year.
“(We are) concerned that the outcome of the WAEC results of students who are considered to be leaders of tomorrow using CBT will be devastating if allowed to commence. leading to massive failure, frustration, drug abuse and other social vices,” he warned.
The House unanimously adopted the motion and mandated the committees on basic examination bodies, digital and information technology, basic education and services and Labour, Employment and Productivity to interface with the relevant stakeholders in the education information and technology sectors and report back within four weeks for further legislative action
Olusola Akintonde