The federal government on Wednesday expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the ongoing National Examinations Council school-based Senior School Certificate Examination.
It described the computer-based test format as a major milestone in efforts to eliminate examination malpractice and improve the quality of secondary education across the country.
The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, stated this after monitoring the examination at Redeemers Teap International School, Garki II, and Anglican Girls’ Grammar School, Gudu, Abuja.
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Prof. Ahmad said the monitoring exercise showed that candidates had embraced the CBT format, with most students describing it as easier to use and more convenient than the traditional paper-based examination.
“My assessment of the examination is that I’m very happy because from what I have seen in the two centres that I visited, the students are writing the CBT examination and they are happy. The setting for the examination is excellent,” she said.
The minister disclosed that interactions with candidates indicated overwhelming support for the CBT format, with only one student expressing equal preference for both the computer-based and paper-based systems.
She explained that one of the major advantages of CBT is its ability to significantly reduce examination malpractice through the randomisation of questions.
“I interacted with them to know whether they had seen the questions before the examination because that is one of the key challenges we are trying to address through CBT. They said no. Each student is writing a different set of questions, so even those sitting beside one another cannot communicate because their questions are different,” she said.
According to the minister, the Federal Government remains committed to expanding CBT examinations nationwide but will only implement a full transition after putting the necessary infrastructure in place to ensure no candidate is disadvantaged.
“We will not begin the complete transition until everything is ready because we do not want to put any student at a disadvantage. We are working closely with the National Assembly, state governors, private partners and other stakeholders to provide the necessary infrastructure and facilities for the transition,” she said.
Ahmad also commended the technical performance of the examination, noting that officials and candidates reported no cases of network failure, system malfunction or delays since the commencement of the exercise.
“In the schools I visited, I asked whether there were technical glitches in accessing the questions or starting the examination. They assured me that there had been no technical hitch. The examinations started on time without network problems or interruptions,” she added.
She described the smooth conduct of the examination as evidence that the CBT pilot programme introduced by NECO had recorded significant progress and was gradually evolving into a sustainable nationwide model.
Emphasising the government’s determination to safeguard the integrity of public examinations, the minister said the adoption of technology remained the most effective way of tackling examination malpractice.
