The federal government has directed the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) to adopt full Computer-Based Testing (CBT) for all their examinations by 2026.

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this during the monitoring of the ongoing exams alongside JAMB officials, in Bwari on Monday.

Alausa revealed that both the WAEC and NECO would start administering their objective papers via CBT effective this November.

According to him, subsequently adopting the CBT for the essay and objective components would commence fully by May/June 2026.

“If JAMB can successfully conduct CBT exams for more than 2.2 million candidates, WAEC and NECO can do the same.

“We are going to get WAEC and NECO to also start their objective exam on CBT.

“By 2026 exams which will come up in May/June, both the objectives and the essay will be fully on CBT. That is how we can eliminate exam malpractices.”

Alausa also disclosed that a committee is currently reviewing examination standards nationwide, with recommendations expected next month.

Earlier, the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, while speaking on the early schedule of the exams, clarified that the board’s UTME exams had always begun at 8:00 a.m.

Oloyede said that candidates were only expected to be on ground by 6:30 a.m., to enable them get accredited before the exams.

He dismissed complaints about early arrival times, noting that it was necessary to screen candidates before exams begin.

“We have always started our exams at 8 o’clock. The first session is 8 o’clock, second session 10:30, third session, 1 p.m, and fourth session 3:30p.m.

Oloyede also debunked claims of candidates being posted to centres they did not choose, stating that investigations showed no such cases happened.

He confirmed that more than 1.6 million out of 2.03 million registered candidates had completed their exams, with about 50,000 remaining.

The registrar further revealed that more than 40 candidates had been arrested for malpractice, including impersonation and attempting to smuggle out exam questions with hidden cameras.

He added that of the registered candidates, more than 41,000 were underage.