The Federal Government has commended the successful conduct of the ongoing National Examinations Council (NECO) Computer-Based Test (CBT) Senior School Certificate Examination, describing it as a significant step towards eliminating examination malpractice and strengthening the country’s education system.
The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, gave the commendation on Wednesday after monitoring the examination at Redeemers Teap International School, Garki II, and Anglican Girls’ Grammar School, Gudu, in Abuja.
According to the minister, the CBT examination was conducted smoothly, with candidates expressing satisfaction over the ease of using the computer-based platform. She noted that students found the system more convenient than the traditional paper-based method.
Prof. Ahmad said interactions with candidates revealed strong support for the new examination format, adding that the randomisation of examination questions makes malpractice more difficult.
She explained that each candidate receives different questions, making it nearly impossible for students seated together to copy from one another.
The minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to expanding CBT examinations across the country but stressed that a complete transition would only take place after adequate infrastructure had been provided nationwide.
She disclosed that the government is collaborating with the National Assembly, state governments and private sector partners to ensure schools have the facilities required for a seamless transition without placing any student at a disadvantage.
Prof. Ahmad also expressed satisfaction with the technical performance of the examination, stating that no cases of network failure, system malfunction or delays had been reported since the exercise began.
She described the successful implementation
of the CBT pilot as evidence that NECO is making steady progress towards adopting a sustainable nationwide digital examination system.Emphasising the importance of credible public examinations, the minister said embracing technology remains one of the most effective strategies for combating examination malpractice and improving educational standards.
Also speaking, NECO Registrar, Prof. Ibrahim Dantani Wushishi, disclosed that the council expects to release the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination results by the first week of September, or even earlier, due to the speed of processing offered by the CBT system.
He revealed that 1,378,048 candidates registered for the examination nationwide, with female candidates slightly outnumbering males, attributing the development to sustained efforts aimed at promoting girls’ education.
Wushishi further confirmed that no technical challenges had been recorded since the commencement of the CBT examination, noting that Abuja currently has about 10 accredited CBT centres participating in the exercise.
The Principal of Anglican Girls’ Grammar School, Gudu, Mrs Nkiruka Nwafor, welcomed the transition, describing it as an essential step towards preparing students for a technology-driven future.
She explained that the school had already introduced CBT for some internal examinations to familiarise students with digital assessments from the junior secondary level.
The Federal Government is gradually digitising public examinations as part of broader education reforms designed to improve transparency, efficiency and credibility within Nigeria’s assessment system. The initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises technology-driven learning, improved assessment standards and the elimination of examination malpractice.
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