The House of Representatives has directed the Federal Ministry of Education and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to immediately suspend the planned introduction of the Computer-Based Test (CBT) system for the 2026 Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE).
The House also urged the Ministry of Education to collaborate with state governments to make provisions in their 2026–2029 budgets for the recruitment of computer teachers, the construction of computer laboratories with internet access, and the installation of standby power supply in all secondary schools across the country.
Lawmakers further advised that the CBT policy should not be implemented until 2030, and only after both public and private schools have been adequately equipped with the necessary facilities.
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These resolutions followed a motion of urgent public importance titled “Need for Intervention to Avert the Pending Massive Failure of Candidates Intending to Write the 2026 WAEC Using Computer-Based Examinations (CBT) Capable of Causing Depression and Deaths of Students,” sponsored by Hon. Kelechi Wogu (PDP, Rivers).
Leading the debate, Wogu expressed concern that the sudden transition to CBT for the 2026 examination would place millions of students, particularly in rural areas, at a severe disadvantage due to lack of exposure to computer use and inadequate infrastructure.
He noted that the 2025 WAEC result portal had earlier suffered a major technical glitch, which prevented many candidates from accessing their results on time, describing it as a warning sign against rushing into full CBT implementation.
According to him, “About 25,500 schools across the country will produce candidates for the 2026 WAEC examination, most of which do not have functional computers, trained teachers, or reliable electricity supply. Implementing CBT under such conditions would lead to chaos, poor performance, and emotional distress for students.”
The lawmaker maintained that while computer-based assessment is desirable for modernization, it should be introduced gradually — with a three-year preparation window — to allow schools to build capacity and ensure all candidates can participate fairly.
“The outcome of the WAEC results for students who are considered the leaders of tomorrow will be devastating if this policy is allowed to commence in 2026. It will result in massive failure, frustration, drug abuse, and other social vices,” Wogu warned.
After deliberation, the House unanimously adopted the motion and mandated its Committees on Basic Education and Services, Digital and Information Technology, Labour, Employment and Productivity, and Basic Examination Bodies to engage stakeholders in the education and ICT sectors and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.