Deputy education minister Suwaiba Ahmad says the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination is progressing smoothly, particularly in centres using the computer-based test mode.

Ms Ahmad said this on Wednesday in Abuja, after monitoring the conduct of the examination in selected schools using both CBT and paper-and-pencil formats.

The minister monitored the Government Secondary School, Garki, where CBT exams took place, and the Federal Government Boys’ College, Garki, where the paper-and-pencil format was applied.

The minister expressed satisfaction with the candidates’ preparedness and the smooth conduct of the examination at the centres visited. She said students appeared comfortable with the CBT platform and reported no difficulties in navigating the system.

The minister also commended the orderly conduct of candidates at the paper-and-pencil centre, describing the examination environment as conducive and compliant with examination standards.

According to her, candidates were adequately spaced, and there was no evidence of malpractice during the examination.

Ms Ahmad said extensive pilot testing conducted before the rollout of the CBT examination had helped to ensure the efficiency and reliability of the software being used. She noted that candidates had already written seven papers using the CBT platform without any reported technical glitches.

The minister added that adequate measures had been put in place to address possible power challenges during the examination. According to her, schools participating in the CBT examination were equipped with alternative power sources, including solar systems and generators.

On the selection criteria for CBT centres, Ahmad said only schools with functional information and communication technology facilities and sufficient computer systems were considered. She explained that many schools conducted the examination in multiple streams to accommodate their candidates.

Ms Ahmad recalled that the Federal Government had initially planned to migrate fully to CBT examinations in 2026, but had to adopt a gradual approach due to inadequate facilities in some communities.

She revealed that the government was engaging state governments and making preparations within federal unity colleges to expand CBT infrastructure nationwide.

According to her, a timeline for a full migration to CBT examinations cannot be set until the necessary facilities are available nationwide.

(NAN)