Parents Raise Alarm as WAEC Moves to Full CBT for 2026 WASSCE

Rural Students Fear Mass Failure Over Lack of Electricity, Computers and Internet Access

Concerns are mounting nationwide as parents, teachers and students react to the plan by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to conduct the 2026 WASSCE using full computer-based testing (CBT). Many fear that the move could disadvantage thousands of candidates, especially those in rural communities where electricity, computer access and digital literacy remain extremely limited.

Stakeholders argue that while digital examinations may be the future, the current realities of Nigeria make the transition unfair and potentially damaging to students who lack the tools to prepare adequately.

Joseph Fehintola of the University of Ibadan, in a research study titled Assessment of Challenges of CBT among Students in Nigerian Educational System, noted that many students are not computer-literate because several towns and villages still lack electricity. He added that some secondary school teachers cannot operate basic computer functions, making it difficult for students to receive proper ICT training.

He questioned how students are expected to excel in a fully digital exam when both learners and teachers lack access to electricity, devices and computer skills.

Power supply remains one of the biggest obstacles. Unreliable electricity and the absence of ICT infrastructure make computer-based examinations difficult to administer, and experts warn that the situation could lead to widespread failure if not addressed.

Nubi Achebo, Director of Academic Planning at the Nigerian University of Technology and Management (NUTM), expressed concerns that the planned rollout may be rushed. He noted that while CBT has advantages, inadequate preparation could lead to poor performance and widen the digital divide.

Achebo also pointed out that CBT will not automatically eliminate examination malpractice, as technology-based cheating methods still exist.

Students in rural areas say they feel abandoned by the policy. Mary Nwankwo, a student in Aninri, Enugu State, said her school has no electricity, no computer laboratory and no digital training. She believes the new exam method favours students in cities while leaving rural candidates at a huge disadvantage.

According to her, economic hardship forces many students to combine school with farm work or household tasks, further reducing the time available to pursue digital training.

Another student, Okorie Agu from Abia State, described the policy as insensitive to the realities of rural communities. He said that many schools lack basic digital facilities, and introducing CBT without addressing these gaps “is a systematic plan for mass failure.”

Nigeria has over 23,500 secondary schools, but computer access varies widely between public and private institutions, as well as between rural and urban communities. Teachers say the digital divide is growing and that pushing CBT without addressing infrastructure gaps could deepen educational inequality.

Gift Osikoya, a secondary school teacher, warned that without adequate ICT tools such as stable internet, computers, and reliable electricity, many schools will struggle to prepare students for computer-based exams.

In addition to infrastructure issues, insecurity remains a major concern. Many students travel long distances to central examination centres, and early morning movement exposes them to potential danger. This makes the CBT plan even more challenging in regions affected by insecurity.

Stakeholders are calling for large-scale investment in ICT infrastructure, teacher training, and digital literacy programmes to ensure students across Nigeria have equal opportunities.

Speaking at the 21st All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) in Abuja, former presidential candidate Peter Obi criticised the CBT proposal, arguing that most public schools do not have laptops, electricity or functioning ICT labs. He said that with over 17 million students in Nigerian secondary schools, providing laptops is feasible if wasteful government spending is curtailed.

Obi stressed that while digital transformation in education is necessary, Nigeria is far from ready for this shift at the WASSCE level and risks exposing millions of students to failure.

As the debate intensifies, educators and parents maintain that modernisation is welcome, but only when every child—regardless of location—has access to the tools needed to succeed in computer-based examinations.